Non-Subscriber Extract
Uganda seeks new recruits as security challenges mount
By Lauren Gelfand
12 February 2009
Uganda is looking to recruit some 3,300 personnel to expand its armed forces.
The initiative comes amid challenges on a number of fronts including its deployment in the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) and the continuing offensive against Lord's Resistance Army (LRC) rebels in northern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Major Felix Kulayigye, the spokesman for the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF), told Jane's on 10 February that the recruitment was in line with the country's long-term defence strategy, which aims to fill a vacuum left by soldiers who retired from the 45,000-strong army.
"We have the capacity to meet our obligations and are prepared to undertake all of our responsibilities in peacekeeping as well as in participating in regional structures," such as the East African brigade of a foreseen continent-wide Standby Force, he said.