The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has disqualified more than 65,000 applicants in its latest nationwide recruitment exercise, which aims to enlist 11,500 new soldiers.
The recruitment process, which ran from July 7 to July 11, 2025, began with online submissions via the official UPDF website. According to Major General Felix Kulaigye, Director of Defence Public Information, the force received a total of 78,000 applications.
Of these, only 13,000 candidates met the initial requirements and have been shortlisted for the next stage of recruitment. The remaining 65,000 applicants were dropped during the initial vetting process.
The next phase, which involves physical screening, will take place from August 5 to August 15 at designated district recruitment centres across the country. Kulaigye explained that this stage will further trim the list of successful candidates down to the final target of 11,500 recruits.
He also issued a warning to applicants with certain disqualifying medical conditions—such as bow-leggedness, cross-eyedness, or ringworm—not to present themselves for screening, as they are unlikely to pass the medical evaluation required for enlistment.
The UPDF says it remains committed to a transparent and merit-based recruitment process to ensure only the most suitable candidates join the ranks.
