Masaka town residents watched a free movie this afternoon after the district chairman Jude Mbabaali clashed with Officers of the Uganda People's Defence Forces - UPDF over the ongoing recruitment exercise.
The 9 day exercise taking place in all parts of the country and in Masaka, it is being conducted at Masaka Recreational Ground covering the districts of Masaka, Lwengo, Bukomansimbi, and Kalungu where the army is seeks to recruit 60 people.
As hundreds braved the scorching sun, drills and health checks to make it to the list, over 200 of them were eliminated in the early stages of the exercise some were turned away including female hopefuls and persons that had qualifications above the Ordinary Certificate of Education.
Only males that completed senior four between 2014 and 2015 were considered.
The no nonsense Mbabaali then stormed the recruitment venue questioning the process. He argued that most of those who were allowed to proceed through the process were drawn from outside Greater Masaka region which was unfair.
Mbabaali would later be allowed to crosscheck the names and identify cards of those claiming to be from outside Masaka.
He perused through the documents before telling journalists that his scrutiny found at least five of the eight people he sampled were from outside Masaka.
Mbabaali alleges that the persons recruited in Masaka are from Western and Northern parts of the Country, an act which contravenes the Constitution.
A verbal exchange was later witnessed between himand Col. JF Mukasa, the leader of the recruitment exercise in the area, who later asked UPDF soldiers to drive him out of Masaka Recreation Ground accusing him of trespass.
Mbabaali told the press that he would petition Court and the Chief of Defense Forces Gen Edward Katumba Wamala to invalidate the exercise.
Col Mukasa, the head of recruitment has declined to comment about the allegation.
