The police in Kasese district are investigating the circumstances under which a 21-year-old man committed suicide, after he allegedly failed the army recruitment exercise.
Kule Zakalia, of Kilhambayiro village, in Radinjo parish in Mukunyu Sub County reportedly committed suicide on Sunday evening.
Jimmy Ojok, the district Criminal Investigations Officer, said on Tuesday that a senior six leaver went for the army recruitment exercise at Boma grounds in Kasese town but did not qualify.
Ojok says army tests carried out indicated that Kule was not fit for the army. The army requires a candidate who is physically fit with good sight and general body health. On learning that his health was not in good condition, Kule decided commit suicide.
He reportedly went to a shop and bought a rope, went and hanged himself on a coffee tree.
Ojok says that the body of Kule was on Sunday found hanging in the coffee plantation.
Col. Golooba Godfrey, the 2nd Division Operations and Training Officer disclosed they were to recruit 580 youths under the general category and 58 others to train as cadet officers from Kigezi, Ankole and Rwenzori sub regions.
Golooba said the UPDF recruitment is a government policy to provide employment, replacing ageing, weak and the dead soldiers. He was speaking to reporters at Boma in Fort Portal on Monday at the army recruitment exercise for Kabarole, Bundibugyo and Ntoroko districts.
