By Moses Andama
www.mknewslink.com
In Masindi—-
A man has been arrested in Masindi for allegedly attempting to bribe Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) recruitment officers with Sh20, 000 during the ongoing recruitment exercise.
Emmanuel Kyakabaale Tayebwa, in his early 20s and a resident of Kimengo Sub-county, was arrested at about 5:00pm on August 10, 2026, at the Masindi District headquarters, where the recruitment exercise was taking place.
Kyakabaale had reportedly passed most of the recruitment stages and was awaiting a medical examination when he was arrested.
He had initially been disqualified after failing to present his Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) certificate. At the time, he only had a Primary Seven certificate and a Senior Four pass slip.
After being asked to produce his Ordinary Level certificate, Kyakabaale reportedly obtained a scanned copy and presented it on his phone. However, verification of his documents revealed discrepancies between the names on his National Identity Card and his academic credentials.
His National Identity Card bore the name “Emmanuel Kyakaale Tatwebwa,” while his academic documents indicated “Kyakabaale Emmanuel.”
According to the recruitment team, Kyakabaale then allegedly offered Sh20, 000 to the four officers conducting the verification, claiming the money was meant to buy water.
Brigadier Rogers Kitwala, the deputy commander of the Field Artillery Division in Masindi and leader of the recruitment team, said he had initially rejected Kyakabaale but later gave him another opportunity after receiving several calls from different individuals on his behalf.
Brig. Kitwala said the second opportunity ultimately led to the applicant’s arrest after the alleged bribery attempt.
By the time of filing this story, Kyakabaale had been handed over to officers at Masindi Central Police Station for further inquiries.
Brig. Kitwala warned applicants against presenting forged or altered documents, saying those found doing so would be arrested and face legal consequences.
The recruitment exercise in Masindi was also characterized by numerous cases of discrepancies between applicants’ academic documents and their National Identity Cards.
Some applicants presented Primary Seven certificates bearing names that differed from those on their Ordinary Level certificates. Others had inconsistencies in the years appearing on their academic certificates, including documents from institutions of higher learning.
Several applicants were also found with suspected forged academic documents and were handed over to investigators for further inquiries.
According to Brig. Kitwala, 120 professional candidates and 89 regular candidates had initially been shortlisted for recruitment in Masindi. However, only 55 professionals and 76 regular candidates turned up for the exercise.
Of the 55 professionals who appeared, 22 were discontinued, mainly because they lacked original certificates or had discrepancies between their names and identification documents.
Among the 76 regular candidates who appeared, 31 were discontinued for similar reasons, including suspected forgery.
More than 40 applicants in total were eliminated during the exercise, with medical grounds also cited among the reasons for disqualification.
“We want people who are capable, professional, patriotic, disciplined, and have no criminal record. We want people who will serve the country with honour,” Brig. Kitwala said.
He said the recruitment exercise was being conducted transparently, with no room for nepotism or bribery.
“We are doing everything in a transparent manner: no nepotism, no bribes. Everything is done fairly. You don’t bribe to become a soldier,” he said.
Applicants were required to have valid National Identity Cards, be physically fit and, for professional positions, be below 35 years of age, among other requirements.
The UPDF recruitment team led by Brig. Kitwala is conducting recruitment for professional and regular officers in the Bunyoro sub-region.
The exercise covers the districts of Masindi, Hoima, Kiryandongo, Buliisa, Kibaale, Kagadi, Kakumiro and Kikuube.
The UPDF plans to recruit 23 professionals and 50 regular officers from Masindi. Across the Midwestern region, Brig. Kitwala said the force expects to recruit 599 people.
Professionals being recruited include lawyers, welders, civil engineers and electrical engineers, among others.
Brig. Kitwala urged young people to take advantage of the opportunity to serve in the UPDF and ensure that they present genuine and properly matching documents.
He also appealed to parents to encourage their children to pursue education rather than assist them in obtaining forged academic documents.
“My appeal to parents is that they should take their children to school instead of helping them forge papers,” he said.
The recruitment team also cited other challenges, including applicants with missing academic documents and body marks, which Brig. Kitwala said were unacceptable under UPDF recruitment