Buliisa, Uganda – August 11, 2025
The Buliisa Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Longino Bahebwa Byagagaire, has called on parents to encourage their children to serve the nation by joining the armed forces.
Speaking to our reporter this morning during the ongoing Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) recruitment exercise in the region, Bahebwa expressed concern over the low turnout of youth in Buliisa.
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Bahebwa urged young people to take up careers in the UPDF, Police, Uganda Prisons Services, and Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), rather than remaining idle.
He revealed worrying statistics: last year, only 11 youths from Buliisa joined the UPDF out of the 40 available slots. In the Police recruitment, only 9 were selected out of 36 slots. This year, only 19 out of 60 available slots have been filled so far.
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Despite the low numbers, the RDC thanked parents who supported their children’s decision to join the forces. He also commended the UPDF for improving the recruitment process, particularly the introduction of an online application system.
