The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda People’s Defence Forces-UPDF has set up a team to investigate irregularities that marred the recruitment exercise of Local Defence Unit-LDU personnel.
Last month, UPDF recruited about 10,000 LDUs to boost the already existing number across the countryside. The recruitment exercise that lasted for four weeks required handwritten applications indicating nationality, age, marital status, and accompanied by a national identification card and academic credentials.
The applicants were also supposed to be Ugandan citizens aged 18 to 29, medically, physically fit, holding UCE with good conduct and no criminal record.
However, in different parts of the country, the exercise was marred with allegations of bribery, forgery of academic papers, ferrying recruits from other districts among others.
Brig. Flavia Byekwaso, the UPDF Spokesperson says that they have received several complaints from Nakasongola, Kole, Butaleja and Butambala districts where some of the applicants were not recruited.
Byekwaso who declined to reveal who will head the investigations, says that the applicants who bribed or forged letters and academic documents will be dismissed immediately.
Between 2018 and 2019, UPDF recruited close to 20,000 LDUs. The first group constituted more than 6,000 LDU, who were deployed in Kampala metropolitan area. Another group had 12,000 LDUs who were deployed in areas of Masaka, Mityana, Jinja, Mbale, Soroti and Luwero.
LDU personnel have been in the spotlight over brutality especially during the first COVID-19 lockdown last year. In addition, several people are still nursing wounds and others died at the hands of LDUs.
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This wasn’t fair at all, if the publication note was saying from 23-27th applicants should submit their application and document papers, then by 2-16th of Sept the shortlist will be out and pinned at the District HQs, why is it that in Hoima District, recruitments were done by 30 – 31st of Aug even before the said date of shortlist is not yet out?, Secondly: Why is it that the shortlist wasn’t pinned at the District HQs or not even at the Building of RCCs office for applicants to check as it was said in the publication note?. Thirdly: why is it that they selected applicants and taken to masindi even before the said date of shortlisting?…who knows that they selected the right ones? it wasn’t fair to us
The ldu exercise wasn’t fair at all because here in Mayuge the shortlist had applicants from Iganga ,mukono and buikwe districts.