Tears of joy and relief filled the Office of the Prime Minister’s Rehabilitation Centre in Laroo-Pece Division, Gulu City, on Friday as 14 former captives and fighters of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) were officially received and handed over for rehabilitation. The returnees, comprising eight men, four women, and two children, arrived from Juba, South Sudan, after years in captivity. They were welcomed home with traditional Acholi Bwola dances in a ceremony attended by cultural leaders, government officials, security personnel, and community members.
The group, all Ugandan nationals, was repatriated through a joint effort involving the Acholi Cultural Institution, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), and the Government of South Sudan. Alex Oyet, Coordinator of Ker Kwaro Acholi, said efforts to persuade the former captives and fighters to return home began between 2023 and 2024 while they were living in the Central African Republic (CAR).
According to Oyet, the initiative was spearheaded by the Acholi Cultural Institution under Paramount Chief Rwot David Onen Acana II in collaboration with the Government of Uganda through the UPDF. The returnees are reported to have escaped from the camp of LRA leader Joseph Kony in the Central African Republic in 2023 under the leadership of former senior LRA commander George Olobo.
Oyet said engagements with the group continued until April this year, when they finally agreed to return home through a process coordinated by the UPDF’s Chief of Defence Intelligence, Maj. Gen. Richard Otto Owilli.”We are happy and applaud the UPDF because, in our view as Ker Kwaro Acholi, they are not only soldiers but also psychologists who can offer psychosocial support to those still in captivity. These returnees were not fought; they were convinced to come back home,” Oyet said.
Lt. Col. Alex Abyona, a UPDF representative based in South Sudan who oversaw the repatriation process from Juba to Uganda, commended the South Sudanese government for facilitating the safe return of the former captives. He also praised the returnees for abandoning rebellion and choosing to return home.
“All in all, we appreciate them for the courage of coming back home. As the government, we request that communities encourage anyone still in captivity to return. We also ask communities to support them as they reintegrate into society,” Abyona said. Ker Kwaro Acholi Deputy Prime Minister Martin Okumu called on communities across the Acholi sub-region to warmly welcome the returnees and help them rebuild their lives.
“Let us welcome these people wholeheartedly, starting today. We need to reassure them that they are part of us and that they are truly welcome home. We thank God that they have finally returned,” Okumu said. He also cautioned against any attempts to revive conflict in Northern Uganda, noting that the two-decade LRA insurgency left lasting economic and social scars on the region.”I keep praying that no war ever breaks out again in Northern Uganda. Those who want war should go elsewhere. For goodness’ sake, let us never have war again,” he said.
Representing State Minister for Northern Uganda Rehabilitation Beatrice Akello Akori, Gulu Resident City Commissioner Ambrose Onoria urged communities to prioritize reconciliation over revenge. “To the communities gathered here, the minister, our cultural and religious leaders, and partners like Terra Renaissance call upon all of us to choose reconciliation over revenge. Forgive, embrace, and walk with them so that together we can heal Northern Uganda faster,” Onoria said.
He assured the returnees that they would benefit from government livelihood programmes, including the Parish Development Model, Emyooga, and the ongoing livestock restocking programme. According to information obtained by Uganda Radio Network, the returnees had been living in Sam-Ouandja near the border between the Central African Republic and South Sudan after defecting from the LRA in 2023. They later relocated to Juba as refugees while arrangements for their repatriation were finalized.
The returnees will now undergo rehabilitation programmes lasting between 18 months and two years at the rehabilitation centre run by Terra Renaissance. This non-governmental organisation supports the reintegration of former LRA combatants and abductees.
Jimmy Fred Okema, Head of Staff at the Terra Renaissance office in Gulu, said the organisation will document the returnees, trace their families, and assess their immediate needs. He said they will also receive vocational skills training based on their interests to support their reintegration into civilian life.
Their return comes barely a week after Ugandan authorities repatriated two women described as Joseph Kony’s wives and three children who had also escaped captivity in the Central African Republic. They remain under the care of the UPDF. Data from Terra Renaissance shows that 488 former LRA combatants and abductees underwent rehabilitation programmes between 2006 and 2025-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
