Following the generative AI boom of 2022 and 2023, the race to build smarter chatbots became a race for data. Every major artificial intelligence company, including OpenAI, Meta, Microsoft, and Google, needed enormous amounts of high-quality human-written content to train and advance their models.

As publishers such as the BBC, the Daily Mail and other major news organisations began blocking AI crawlers, and copyright lawsuits against AI companies continued to mount, another challenge emerged. The internet itself was becoming saturated with AI-generated text, making it harder to separate original human writing from machine-generated content.

As the availability of training data shrank, books, particularly those published before 2022, when AI-slop had not yet begun to flood the web, became one of the last large collections of untouched human knowledge.

The Secret Project Panama
That strategy has landed AI company Anthropic, the creator of Claude, in trouble after court documents revealed details of a secretive project known internally as “Project Panama.” According to the federal court filings, the company set out to acquire as many books as possible, with internal documents stating that the goal was to “destructively scan all the books in the world” while keeping the effort out of the public eye because the company executives expected backlash.

Having purchased millions of physical books, Anthropic chose a faster and cheaper alternative to scanning them by hand. The company is said to have used industrial equipment to slice off the spines, allowing the loose pages to pass through high-speed scanners. Once digitised, the originals were discarded, permanently destroying the physical copies. The approach accelerated the creation of a digital library for AI training, but at the cost of preserving the books themselves.

What worries many is that there appears to have been no systematic effort to determine whether some of those books were rare, out of print, or among the last surviving physical copies. Publishers, writers, and literary advocates argue that books that had survived wars, fires, floods and decades of handling may have been permanently removed from circulation to become training data for an AI model. Critics online, including tech billionaire Elon Musk behind xAI, argue that while the text now exists in a private digital archive, the physical cultural artefacts should be preserved rather than lost forever.

“I’ve asked the SpaceXAI team to preserve any rare books in a library and scan them the hard way vs just cutting off the spine and scanning,” Musk wrote on X.

Anthropic Pirating Books
The controversy extends beyond the destruction of physical books. Anthropic also faced allegations that it used millions of pirated books downloaded from shadow libraries such as Library Genesis (LibGen) and Pirate Library Mirror before later purchasing physical books for scanning.

Anthropic $1.5 Billion Settlement
While a federal court ruled that scanning legally purchased books and using them to train AI qualifies as fair use under US copyright law, the separate issue of acquiring pirated books resulted in a $1.5 billion class-action settlement involving more than 500,000 authors and publishers. As part of the agreement, Anthropic did not admit wrongdoing.

The case has poured fuel on an already heated debate over how AI companies obtain training data. Supporters argue that buying books gives companies the legal right to digitise them and that AI training transforms the material into something new. Critics counter that destroying millions of books, especially rare and hard-to-find titles, creates an irreversible cultural loss while concentrating humanity’s knowledge inside private AI systems that the public cannot access.

Anthropic Double Standards
The irony is that, in recent months, Anthropic has publicly warned competitors in China aginst copying their Claude AI capabilities and intellectual property. For many observers, this sits uneasily alongside revelations that the company developed part of its AI training library by scanning millions of books and, most controversially, destroying the physical copies afterwards.

Regardless of whether it was legal or moral, Anthropic’s practice has raised difficult questions about copyright, preservation and the cost of building the next generation of artificial intelligence.

On 28 July 2026, the Electoral Commission (EC) conducted elections for Local Council One (LC 1) chairpersons across 71,214 villages in Uganda. Held using the lining-up method, the election exercise attracted a massive voter turnout of Ugandans choosing their representatives at the lowest level of local government.

For many of those elected, the real work begins now. Despite being the elected leaders closest to the residents they serve, the responsibilities of an LC 1 chairperson remain widely misunderstood. To many Ugandans, the LC 1 is the person you run to for stamping recommendation letters for jobs and whatnot, handling local disputes, arresting suspected criminals or, perhaps the most popular belief of all, taking a 10% commission off every land deal in the village.

While these perceptions have become deeply rooted over the years, they paint only a small part of the picture. The Local Governments Act establishes the LC 1 chairperson as the political head of the village and the head of the Village Executive Committee, assigning the office responsibilities beyond paperwork and dispute resolution. Here is what the law says they are.

#1. Political Head of the Village
The Local Governments Act designates the LC 1 chairperson as the political head of the village, responsible for providing political leadership, representing the village’s interests, and guiding the implementation of village council decisions.

#2. Chairs Village Council Meetings
The LC 1 chairperson presides over Village Council meetings, ensuring orderly discussions and decisions that address community needs.

#3. Monitors The Administration of The Village
The chairperson is required to monitor the administration of the village, ensuring public affairs are properly managed and local structures function effectively.

#4. Performs Duties Assigned by Law
Beyond the specific responsibilities listed in the Act, the chairperson performs other duties necessary for the proper functioning of the village or assigned under other laws.

As head of the Village Executive Committee, the LC 1 chairperson leads a team of 11 leaders, including the Vice Chairperson & eight specialised secretaries responsible for Finance, Security, Information, Education & Mobilisation, Production & Environmental Protection, Youth, Women, Persons with Disabilities, and the Elderly.

Under the Local Governments Act, the committee is responsible for:

#1. Helping Maintain Law and Order
The committee assists in maintaining law, order and security within the village; this explains why LC 1 leaders often work with police and other security agencies.

#2. Mobilising Communities for Development
The committee initiates and supports self-help projects while mobilising residents, resources and technical assistance for community development.

#3. Vetting Recruits for Security Services
The committee vets and recommends suitable village residents for recruitment into the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), the Uganda Police Force, the Uganda Prisons Service and Local Defence Units.

#4. Serving as the Link Between Government and The People
The committee connects the government, higher local governments and residents by communicating government programmes and passing community concerns to relevant authorities.

#5. Monitoring Public Administration and Projects
The committee monitors village administration, reports to higher local governments, and tracks projects by government, local governments and non-governmental organisations to ensure proper implementation.

#6. Carrying Out Other Lawful Duties
Like the chairperson, the committee performs any other duties assigned by law or necessary for carrying out its responsibilities.

What the Law Does Not Say
The Local Governments Act does not grant LC 1 chairpersons the right to collect a percentage from land transactions or charge mandatory fees for signing documents. While they may witness transactions or provide recommendations where required, the law does not make them revenue collectors.

LC 1 chairpersons may also mediate local disputes, help resolve community conflicts and report suspected crimes; these roles arise from their broader leadership position and other administrative practices, not from the specific functions listed under Sections 49 and 50 of the Local Governments Act.

In summary, Ugandan law recognises the LC 1 chairperson as the village’s political leader, community mobiliser and coordinator of local governance.

Tororo, Eastern Uganda, 27th July 2026 – The Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, together with its agencies, the National Information Technology Authority-Uganda (NITA-U), Posta Uganda, and in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Service, conducted a site inspection of the newly renovated Service Uganda Centre in Tororo. Joined by Tororo’s local leadership, including Tororo Municipality’s Deputy Mayor, Beatrice Achola, Deputy Resident District Commissioner, Fahira Mpalanyi and the Town Clerk, Alikwan Ayub Kisubi, among others, the inspection focused on assessing the progress towards finalising renovation works and determining the centre’s readiness for full operations.

The Tororo Service Uganda Centre is one of 19 Service Uganda Centres planned nationwide under the Ministry of Public Service’s One-Stop Centre model. These facilities bring multiple government services, including national ID verification, tax and TIN registration, business registration, passport applications and driving permits under a single roof, eliminating the need for citizens to move between offices scattered across town. The model forms part of Government’s broader public service reform agenda aimed at delivering more accessible and citizen-centred services.

NITA-U, through the Uganda Digital Acceleration Project – Government Network (UDAP-GovNet), is supporting the renovation of three pilot centres in Tororo, Mbarara and Gulu, complementing the wider nationwide rollout led by the Ministry of Public Service.

Commending the progress observed during the inspection, Dr Aminah Zawedde, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, stated, “I am encouraged by what I have seen today at the Tororo Service Uganda Centre. The layout clearly prioritises accessibility and user convenience, which is essential for meaningful public service improvement.”

She added that reliable internet connectivity through NITA-U’s National Backbone Infrastructure Phase V project (NBI Phase V) will significantly improve the efficiency of Service Uganda Centres. She concluded by emphasising that Government’s role extends beyond infrastructure to the rollout of digital services for both the public and private sectors, while ensuring online safety.

Highlighting the collaborative achievement, Dr Hatwib Mugasa, Executive Director of NITA-U, said, “Upon completion, this site will be transformed into a modern, fully functional service centre. This achievement results from the strong partnership between the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, NITA-U, the Ministry of Public Service, Posta Uganda as the hosting partner, contractors and supervising consultants.”

He noted that once fully operational, the Tororo centre will provide digital services that expand job opportunities for the youth, enable residents to communicate grievances to government entities more quickly without travelling to other cities, and serve as a training hub to boost local innovation and digital solutions.

Catherine Bitarakwate Musingwiire, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Public Service, stressed the need for timely operationalisation. “The people of Tororo have waited long enough for such a facility. Our focus now is to ensure full completion so that the centre can open to the public and begin delivering services as expected.”

She added that the Ministry of Public Service will continue to work closely with all stakeholders to ensure the successful delivery of the project.

Mr James Arinaitwe, Managing Director of Posta Uganda, reaffirmed Posta Uganda’s commitment to the initiative, stating that the goal of the service centres is to reduce the burden of long-distance travel for citizens seeking public services and to improve the overall quality of service delivery.

The Tororo Service Uganda Centre reflects a wider shift in how government services are delivered in Uganda, moving away from fragmented offices and long queues towards a single, modern point of access.

Six pilot centres are already operational under the program in Entebbe, Kasese, Jinja, Arua, Hoima and at the Ministry of Public Service headquarters. Hoima has become the first regional site to open, while the remaining 18 centres, including Tororo, are at various stages of preparation.

As of July 25, 2026, OpenAI’s ChatGPT is experiencing a global outage, leaving its roughly 210 million daily active users unable to access the AI chatbot. The company’s official status page reports ongoing issues affecting ChatGPT, APIs, and Codex. The status page also states the problem is actively being investigated.

The outage comes a day after Fox News warned readers to lock down their ChatGPT accounts before the next AI attack, though no link between the two has been confirmed.

This is at least the fourth major disruption to hit ChatGPT this July alone.

Check status.openai.com for real-time updates.

Veteran politician and retired military officer General (Retired) Moses Ali, born on 05 April 1939, has passed away at the age of 87.

He reportedly passed away on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at approximately 4:25 p.m. while receiving treatment at Nakasero Hospital in Kampala.

Moses Ali’s death was confirmed to the public by Captain Mike Mukula, the NRM National Vice Chairman for Eastern Uganda, together with his family members, who had gathered at his bedside after he was admitted to the hospital earlier in the week in critical condition.

This story is developing. More details will be added…

The Uganda Law Society (ULS) has directed its members to stop addressing judges as “My Lord,” “My Lady,” “Your Lordship,” “Your Worship,” and other similar honorifics, describing the titles as part of a colonial courtroom culture that should no longer define Uganda’s justice system.

The directive, issued through Executive Order RNB No. 12 of 2026 by exiled Uganda Law Society President Isaac Ssemakadde, also instructs advocates to stop bowing before judges in court and address judicial officers using professional titles such as “Justice,” “Mr Justice,” “Madam Justice,” “Honourable Judge” or “Your Honour,” depending on the court and the office held.

The move to abolish what the directive describes as “feudal and colonial honorifics” has sparked debate, with supporters welcoming it as a step towards modernising Uganda’s justice system. The Judiciary, however, has rejected the directive and insists that existing courtroom traditions remain in force.

Why Is the Uganda Law Society Making This Change?
For people who have never been inside a courtroom, titles such as “My Lord” and “My Lady” may seem like ordinary signs of respect. The Uganda Law Society, however, contends they are remnants of Britain’s colonial legal system and no longer reflect the values of a democratic Uganda.

The directive frames the reforms as a move from “theatrical props of elitism” and excessive formality, arguing that justice should be centred on dignity, accessibility and the relationship between judicial officers and the people they serve.

The executive order, dated 7 July 2026, also launched a 90-day review of advocates wearing wigs, as part of efforts to dismantle colonial-era courtroom traditions.

The Judiciary Disagrees
Uganda’s Judiciary has openly rejected the Law Society’s position, arguing that the legal body has no authority to determine how judges should be addressed in court.

Judiciary spokesperson James Ereemye told the BBC that the Uganda Law Society cannot dictate courtroom protocol to the Judiciary, adding that courts will continue to “demand the known decorum” from lawyers during proceedings.

From the Judiciary’s perspective, traditional forms of address help preserve order, discipline and respect in court rather than elevate judges above other citizens.

The result is that although the Law Society has instructed its members to change their courtroom language, judges may still expect advocates to follow existing courtroom practices, setting up a potential conflict between the country’s lawyers and the bench.

Share your thoughts in the comments…

You may have come across posts claiming that MTN Uganda is shutting down its operations because of xenophobic unrest in South Africa. Well, it is not. The claims have no factual basis.

MTN Uganda’s official channels, its website, social media platforms, and recent press release have not announced any plans to shut down its operations in Uganda. Instead, the company has been dealing with a separate issue. On Sunday, 5 July 2026, MTN Uganda experienced a nationwide service outage reportedly caused by a power fault at one of its data centres.

The disruption left millions of customers unable to make calls, send text messages, access mobile internet, or use MTN Mobile Money services for several hours. Later that day, MTN Uganda confirmed through its official platforms that the outage was operational in nature and had been resolved.

On Tuesday, 7 July 2026, MTN Uganda CEO Sylvia Mulinge, alongside MTN MoMo Managing Director-designate Phrase Lubega, led a press briefing at the company’s Kampala headquarters, apologising for the disruption and explaining the cause of the nationwide outage on Sunday.

Coinciding with reports of xenophobic incidents in South Africa, MTN Uganda’s nationwide outage appears to have fuelled false online rumours that the company is shutting down its operations in Uganda.

MTN Uganda, a subsidiary of South African multinational MTN Group, is one of the country’s largest telecommunications operators and biggest taxpayers. Its sister company, MTN Mobile Money, a key financial services provider, facilitates millions of daily transactions in Uganda.

If MTN Uganda were ever to exit the Ugandan market, it would not happen overnight. As a licensed telecommunications operator, any decision to cease operations would require regulatory approvals, compliance with licensing obligations, and a structured transition process involving the relevant authorities, including UCC, URA, and URSB. The process would likely take months or longer before final closure.

And as a financial service provider, MTN Mobile Money is regulated by the Bank of Uganda. Any decision to discontinue its services would also require regulatory approval and a managed wind-down process to protect customers, employees, and other stakeholders.

The clearest and most recent example is Standard Chartered Bank, which announced its exit from the Wealth and Retail Banking business in Uganda in November 2024, before agreeing to sell the business to Absa Bank on 24 October 2025. As of the date of this publication, the transition is not complete, with Stan Chartered customers continuing to access banking services normally.

This highlights that the exit of major businesses, such as MTN, does not happen overnight.

In short, if MTN Uganda were ever to exit the Ugandan market, it would require regulatory approvals, customer notifications, and a structured transition process that would likely take months rather than occurring suddenly.

As things stand, there has been no announcement from MTN Uganda, MTN Group, or any relevant authority indicating that MTN is shutting down its operations in Uganda.

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has appointed Dr John Chrysostom Muyingo as Uganda’s Acting Minister of Education and Sports with immediate effect. According to a press release issued by the Presidential Press Unit on 25 June 2026, Muyingo will oversee the ministry in the absence of a substantive minister.

Muyingo is a long-serving education administrator, politician, and educator who has served as the State Minister for Higher Education since 2011 and as the State Minister of Primary Education. He is one of the key figures in Uganda’s education sector, having been involved in several government education initiatives, including higher education reforms, student financing programmes, and digital learning projects.

Before this appointment, Muyingo retained his role as State Minister for Higher Education in President Museveni’s newly announced 2026 – 2031 Cabinet.

Muyingo takes over the leadership of the ministry from First Lady Janet Kataaha Museveni, who has served as Minister of Education and Sports since June 2016 and was retained in the cabinet announced in May 2026. The State House statement indicates that his appointment is temporary and intended to ensure continuity at the ministry. Public speculation has circulated that Janet Museveni was last seen in public on 21 March 2021.

A former Member of Parliament for Bamunanika County (2011-2021), Muyingo is the founder of educational institutions, including St Charles Lwanga International School, Seeta Nursery & Kindergarten, Seeta Primary School, Seeta High School and Seeta University.

Uganda’s Electoral Commission has released the long-awaited roadmap for Local Council One (LC 1) and Local Council Two (LC 2) elections, ending years of delays in grassroots leadership polls.

Speaking at a press conference, Electoral Commission Chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama announced that the government had released UGX 56 billion for the elections.

The programme also covers Women’s Councils and Committees elections.

Registration of Village Residents
According to the Electoral Commission, village residents will register from 6 July to 10 July 2026, running daily from 7 am to 6 pm at designated public spaces in each village.

Any citizen above 18 years wishing to vote or contest for an LC 1 position must first be registered in the village register. Eligibility is based on residence, not place of birth.

Women will also be registered for Women’s Councils elections during the same period.

Register Display Set for LC 1 Elections
The Electoral Commission will display the village registers on 13 and 14 July 2026 to allow residents to verify their details.

Ugandans will be able to confirm their names, National Identification Numbers (NINs), and village information, and identify deceased persons, underage individuals, or non-residents who may have been included.

The commission stressed that only registers generated by the Electoral Commission will be used.

LC 1 and Women’s Committees Nominations
Aspiring LC 1 chairperson candidates can pick nomination forms from Parish headquarters between 9 July and 14 July 2026. Formal nominations will take place from 15 July to 19 July 2026 at designated centres.

Nominations for Village Women’s Committees will simultaneously take place from 15 July to 19 July 2026 at sub-county, town council, and municipal division headquarters.

No academic qualifications or nomination fees will be required.

#1. Village Women’s Committee Elections
Voting for Village Women’s Committees will take place on Thursday, 23 July 2026.

#2. LC 1 Elections
Voting for LC 1 chairpersons will take place on Tuesday, 28 July 2026, across Uganda’s 71,214 villages.

Voting will be conducted by lining up behind preferred candidates, their representatives, portraits, or political symbols.

LC 2 Election Preparations & Register Compilation
The Parish/Ward (LC 2) voters’ register will be compiled on 29 July 2026 using newly elected Village Executive Committee members.

The voters’ register for the LC 2 elections will be displayed between 30 July and 31 July 2026.

During the same period, prospective LC 2 chairperson candidates will pick nomination forms. Formal nominations will take place on 3 August 2026.

#3. LC 2 Elections
The election of Parish/Ward (LC 2) chairpersons will be conducted on Monday, 10 August 2026.

Women’s Council Elections Timeline (August – September 2026)
Parish Women’s Committee elections are scheduled for 7 August 2026, followed by Sub-County Women’s Committee elections on 18 August 2026, and District and City Women’s Committee elections on 28 August 2026.

The National Women’s Committee election will be held during a national conference on 3 and 4 September 2026.

Sources: Ec.or.ug, Daily Monitor & EC Press on YouTube.

Corporate leaders and policy architects gathered on Friday, 11 June, 2026, for the second annual East Africa Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Summit, hosted by Capital One Group (COG). The high-level virtual assembly, which brought together regional board members, chief financial officers, operations directors, and public relations strategists, comes at a critical juncture as East African markets edge closer to sweeping structural and regulatory changes regarding corporate sustainability.

Held under the theme “ESG as the Capital of Sustainability: From Commitment to Delivery,” the high-level virtual event comes at a defining moment for the domestic market, following confirmation that the Bank of Uganda will institute mandatory ESG reporting guidelines for all financial institutions starting January 2027. This incoming framework aims to transform sustainability from a voluntary corporate social responsibility exercise into a strict operational and legal imperative.

The 2027 banking mandate will require financial institutions to look far beyond traditional financial reporting, forcing them to actively integrate climate risk, social equity, and corporate governance into their core decision-making frameworks. Because commercial lenders serve as the absolute gatekeepers of economic capital, this structural shift will generate immediate, unavoidable ripple effects across the entire corporate supply chain.

Local enterprises ranging from major agricultural exporters and manufacturers to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) will face heightened credit compliance requirements, risk-pricing penalties, or outright exclusion if they lack verifiable sustainability data.

This regulatory shift mirrors a sweeping continental momentum toward formalised corporate accountability. Across Africa, nations are enforcing strict frameworks: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Egypt, and Tunisia already mandate sustainability disclosures for listed and public entities, while Ghana and Nigeria have adopted International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) standards, with Nigeria targeting large enterprises by 2028. Evolving even faster, East Africa is leading by example; Tanzania implemented mandatory climate-related disclosures in 2025, and Kenya commenced its first mandatory ESG reporting cycle for Public Interest Entities in January 2026.

“With mandatory reporting for Public Interest Entities starting in 2027, companies cannot afford to wait,” Manager, Standards and Technical Services at Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK), Elvis Moenga says. The joint advisory by ICPAK and the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) requires listed entities to undergo a rigorous Sustainability Reporting Readiness Assessment. This involves aggressively mapping out current data availability, internal governance controls, and resource gaps against the four core pillars of Governance, Strategy, Risk Management, and Metrics.”

The summit intentionally targets a cross-section of corporate executives, board members, chief financial officers, operations directors, and public relations strategists. As market sophistication grows, corporate communications circles are increasingly recognising that authentic brand storytelling must be rooted in clear, data-driven operational compliance.

“ESG is no longer a matter of corporate goodwill or public relations. It is a prerequisite for accessing capital, winning contracts, attracting investors, remaining competitive, and relevant,” Managing Director and Head of Strategy at COG EA Ltd, Paul Mwirigi Muriungi says. “Uganda, therefore, has little room for delay. The question is no longer whether ESG reporting will become mandatory. The question is whether Ugandan businesses will use the remaining transition period to prepare. Unfortunately, many organisations still misunderstand what ESG actually means.”

The engagement explicitly tackles the critical line between genuine corporate transparency and the rising threat of greenwashing, ensuring that local brands build structural resilience that withstands both regulatory scrutiny and public accountability.

“We cannot simply adopt Western ESG frameworks that are borrowed and transplant them directly down here,” says Ernest Ssekisonge, Managing Director at Kasi Insight. The execution environments are completely different. As practitioners, businesses, and policymakers, we must fill the gap by designing a structurally and contextually relevant ESG framework that speaks directly to Ugandan realities and needs.”

Attendees left equipped with practical and localised toolkits to begin tracking data, restructuring internal governance boards, and realigning their corporate footprints to maintain creditworthiness amid the upcoming banking landscape.

ESG Summit is a convening of ESG awareness and education, more to do with ESG in action. It was supposed to be a physical event, but we were forced to have it online due to the emerging threats of Ebola that restricted the travel of speakers to Kenya and Uganda.

Regardless, it was successful with more than 70 online attendees, mostly ESG-linked professionals. It was supported by Radio One FM 90, KASI Insight, and ICPAK. The ESG awards will be formally announced on 16 July 2026, at a private engagement with partners and sponsors, and the ESG Club will enable the ESG conversation to continue with regular conversations and interactions beyond the annual summit.

Ugandan musician and music producer Joshua Baraka has announced the sad passing of his father, Pastor Okello Lawrence Habalu, who died on the evening of June 7, 2026, at the age of 57.

Following the news, an emotional video from November 2025 has resurfaced online. The clip marked the first time Joshua introduced his father to fans on camera, referring to him as “Mr Lawrence Okello.” In a TikTok video, Joshua interviewed his father about his musical success and how he felt about his decision to drop out of school. Before asking the questions, he described his dad as “the GOAT, the baddest, the nicest, and the greatest father ever.”

Responding to Joshua, whom he referred to as “Josh,” in the video, Mr Lawrence expressed his great pride, saying, “I feel great, and I’m proud of you. And I’m proud that you’re making a difference in this world through your music.

Following the announcement of his father’s passing, Joshua Baraka shared the burial arrangements through his social media platforms.

According to the announcement, a church service for Pastor Okello Lawrence Habalu, who was born on May 2, 1969, will take place today, June 8, 2026, at Kamwokya Church of God starting at 3:00 PM. He will then be laid to rest on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, in Kayunga, Bugelele Kitimbwa at 2:00 PM.

The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has announced a nationwide recruitment exercise targeting a wide range of professionals, graduates, and general recruits across all districts and cities in Uganda.

This nationwide UPDF recruitment will run from 20th July to 1st August 2026.

How to Apply For UPDF Recruitment 2026

UPDF Recruitment 2026 Phases
Phase 1: Online Application (10 – 24 June 2026). All aspiring candidates must submit their applications online through the official UPDF Recruitment Portal at recruitment.updf.go.ug. Applicants will be required to upload their applications accompanied by the following documents:

Passport photo.
Academic documents
National Identity Card.

Phase 2: Shortlist and Display (01 – 14 July 2026). A shortlist of successful candidates will be published on the UPDF website and displayed at the respective City and District headquarters.

Phase 3: Physical Recruitment (20 July – 01 August 2026). Physical recruitment will be conducted nationwide, covering all districts and cities. The specific dates will be communicated in due course.

Shortlisted applicants will be required to report individually to their assigned recruitment centres for physical and medical interviews. They must bring the following requirements:

Applicants must submit a handwritten application letter endorsed by LC1, LC2, LC3, and either the GISO (Gombolola Internal Security Officer) or DISO (District Internal Security Officer).

They must also carry a national identity card or national identification number (NIN), alongside original and photocopies of academic documents. University graduates will need certified academic transcripts.

Each applicant must present three recent coloured passport-size photographs.

Successful candidates will later receive an introduction card, which will be required upon reporting to training centres.

UPDF Recruitment 2026 Categories
#1. General Recruits (UCE/UACE holders, aged 18-22).
#2. ICT Specialists (Masters, Degree, Diploma holders).
#3. Engineers and Logistics Experts (Degrees, Diplomas, and Certificates – with 03 years’ experience).
#4. Aviation Professionals (Pilot Instructors, Pilots, Engineers, Controllers, Meteorologists).
#5. Health Workers (Specialists, Medical Officers, Pharmacists, Nurses, Allied Health Workers).
#6. Legal Practitioners (Advocates with 5+ years’ practice).
#7. Graduate Teachers possessing valid teacher’s registration certificates (Primary and Secondary).
#8. Sports Personnel (talented athletes).
#9. Social Scientists (Bachelor’s degree holders in social sciences/psychology).
#10. Musicians (band and live performance specialists).

Notice
Recruitment is free of charge
* Females with professional qualifications are strongly encouraged to apply.

For detailed requirements and application guidelines, applicants are advised to visit the official UPDF website or refer to the New Vision Newspaper of 05 June 2026.