Minister Kiryowa Defends UPDF Recruitment Process Against Tribalism Claims
The Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Hon. Kiryowa Kiwanuka, defended the ongoing 2026 Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces recruitment exercise, stating during a parliamentary session that the military selects candidates based strictly on nationality and residence rather than ethnic or religious background.
Addressing lawmakers during the 19th sitting of the first meeting of the first session of the 12th Parliament, Minister Kiryowa faced direct scrutiny from members over regional registration practices. Speaker Rt. Hon. Jacob Oboth-Oboth chaired the proceedings as legislators brought forward multiple grievances regarding candidates registering outside their areas of origin.
Addressing Ethnic Discrepancies and Regional Registrations in Parliament
Lawmakers raised specific administrative anomalies observed during the ongoing intake. One member detailed an instance where a Munyankore candidate was reportedly recruited from Mbale District, prompting wider questions about how local quotas and regional balances are maintained.
According to Minister Kiryowa, the armed forces evaluate applicants by confirming their current residency status through official documentation rather than tracing tribal lineages. Candidates who present valid paperwork proving they reside within a specific jurisdiction are permitted to register at that recruitment hub.
Disqualification and Allegations at the Pallisa Recruitment Centre
The debate also centered on a specific incident in Pallisa District involving a candidate named Osire. According to a local Member of Parliament, Osire reported for physical recruitment on August 18, where a recruiting officer allegedly instructed him to write an incorrect name.
The legislator stated that the candidate was subsequently disqualified, beaten, and expelled from the centre. Minister Kiryowa confirmed that the ministry would launch an official inquiry into the matter.
“Of course, we are going to investigate the matter and establish what happened,“ Minister Kiryowa told the plenary.
However, the minister questioned the applicant’s decision to comply with an instruction to falsify his identity. He emphasized that personal integrity forms a cornerstone of military readiness.
We cannot understand how someone can simply write a wrong name for himself,“ Minister Kiryowa said, adding that academic documents serve as primary verification tools to prevent such fraudulent entries.
Debate Over Orders and Institutional Trust
The exchange triggered a sharp procedural debate among lawmakers regarding military command structures and civilian applicants.
He clarified that civilian applicants do not hold military rank and cannot invoke the defense of obeying lawful commands.
Minister Kiryowa cautioned against interpreting the incident as a deliberate administrative test by screening personnel, noting that such methods would undermine the validity of the recruitment exercise.
He urged parliamentarians to actively sensitize constituents on the vital role of individual discipline and national security integrity.