The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) on Monday, August 10, 2026, began the physical phase of its nationwide recruitment exercise, with large numbers of shortlisted applicants reporting to designated centres across the country.
At Kabale Main Stadium in Kabale Town, candidates from the Kigezi region gathered for physical and medical screening before proceeding to verification of their academic and other documents. The exercise is being led by Brig Gen James Kasule, deputised by Col Anatoli Nuwagira, according to the recruitment team.
Similar recruitment activities are being conducted at centres including Kololo in Kampala and Paridi Stadium in Adjumani, with applicants undergoing fitness assessments, medical examinations and document verification.
The physical recruitment phase is scheduled to run from August 10 to August 22, according to the UPDF’s official recruitment notice. Only applicants who were shortlisted after the earlier application stage are required to report to the centres specified against their names.
The 2026 recruitment drive targets 10,200 personnel, according to an announcement made by the UPDF in June. The intake covers both general recruits and professionals needed in specialised areas of the military.
The professional categories include ICT specialists, engineers and logistics experts, aviation personnel, health workers, lawyers, graduate teachers, sports personnel, social scientists and musicians. General recruitment targets young Ugandans with UCE and UACE qualifications, with science backgrounds receiving emphasis.
The recruitment follows an online application process conducted in June. The UPDF subsequently published a shortlist in July, with successful applicants instructed to prepare for the physical recruitment stage.
At the recruitment centres, applicants are required to present a handwritten application bearing recommendations from local authorities and security officials, their original National Identification Cards, original and photocopies of academic documents and three coloured passport-size photographs. Graduate documents are required to be certified.
The UPDF has repeatedly warned applicants against fraudsters and intermediaries, stressing that recruitment is free of charge and that no individual or agent has authority to sell a place in the force.
The army says the recruitment quotas are determined using population figures for individual districts and cities, based on data from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics.
The 2026 exercise comes as the military seeks to replenish its manpower while expanding specialised capabilities. The UPDF has previously said the recruitment is also intended to address manpower gaps arising from retirements and meet growing technical, medical, logistical and operational requirements.
The physical screening will continue across the country until August 22, after which successful candidates will receive individual instructions on reporting to designated UPDF training centres.
