The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has announced a major recruitment drive to enlist 11,500 qualified Ugandans into both its regular forces and professional units.
The exercise is scheduled to run from Monday, July 7 to Friday, July 11, 2025, and will span all 135 districts and 11 cities across the country.
According to Major General Felix Kulayigye, the Director of Defence Public Information, the recruitment will be conducted in two phases starting with an online application process, followed by physical and medical interviews for shortlisted candidates.
“All applications must be submitted online,” Gen. Kulayigye emphasized, adding that applicants must upload a passport photo, national ID, and academic documents via the UPDF recruitment portal.
Shortlisted names will be published on the UPDF website and sent to respective district headquarters. Those selected will then report to designated recruitment centres for the final selection stage.
Who Can Apply?
The recruitment targets two main categories: general recruits and professionals.
🔹 General Recruits
Must possess a Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE)
Age range: 18 to 22 years
Must provide a handwritten application endorsed by their local authorities (LCI, LCII, LCIII and GISO/DISO)
Required documents at interview: original and copies of academic documents, National ID, three passport-size photographs
🔹 Professional Recruits
The UPDF is especially looking to boost its Air Force and other technical units with skilled professionals, including:
Grade V diploma teachers (ages 20–25)
Pilots, pilot instructors
Aircraft maintenance engineers
Air traffic controllers
Meteorologists
Graduates in:
Telecommunication Engineering
IT and Software Engineering
Computer Science
Mechanical and Electrical Engineering
Age limit for Air Force professionals: 18 to 30 years
The number of recruits per district or city will be determined using Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) population figures, published in June 2024, ensuring a fair distribution based on regional demographics.
General Kulayigye issued a strong reminder that recruitment into the UPDF is completely free.
“No one should pay any money to anyone during this process,” he warned. “Anyone found soliciting bribes or facilitating illegal recruitment will be dealt with according to the law.”
Successful candidates will be issued official introduction cards, which they must present upon arrival at their respective training centres.
