Police say no cadet recruitment is planned and no vacancy advert has been issued, dismissing reports of an impending exercise as the force’s latest regular intake completes training.
The Uganda Police Force has dismissed reports of an impending cadet recruitment exercise, saying it has neither advertised vacancies nor expressed interest in recruiting new cadets.
Speaking at the weekly media briefing on Monday, October 12-, Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke said any genuine recruitment exercise would begin with an official advertisement inviting applications, adding that no such announcement had been made.
“I want to categorically make it clear that the Uganda Police is not going to recruit any cadets. A typical recruitment in Uganda Police begins with an advert. We didn't advertise, neither have we expressed any interest of recruiting,” Rusoke said.
The clarification follows a report by New Vision about possible Police recruitment, which appears to have raised expectations among prospective applicants.
The force’s latest regular recruitment exercise began with an advertisement published on March 10, 2025, inviting applications for the position of Probationary Police Constable (PPC).
Police received 41,378 applications, shortlisted 17,174 candidates and selected 11,896 for training after interviews conducted between April 28 and May 5, 2025.
The recruits began training on August 1, 2025, after the initial reporting date was postponed, and completed their 11-month course in June 2026.
At the national pass-out ceremony on June 26, 2026, a total of 9,952 probationary constables graduated, according to New Vision. The intake included 3,979 officers who completed training at Ikafe Police Training School in Yumbe District.
The recruitment of regular Police officers should be distinguished from the separate exercise launched in October 2025 to recruit 100,000 Election Special Police Constables on three-month contracts ahead of the general elections.
Those temporary officers were recruited to support regular Police personnel during the electoral period.
The Inspector General of Police, Abas Byakagaba, said during the June 2026 pass-out ceremony that the force needed to recruit about 3,000 officers annually over the next five years to address staffing gaps.
He also said 8,200 newly recruited officers would be deployed under the sub-county policing programme.
However, those stated staffing needs do not amount to an announcement of a new recruitment exercise. Police say prospective applicants should rely on official advertisements and communication from the force rather than reports or messages suggesting that recruitment is imminent.