4,000 former rebels join community

Kasese-The Uganda Amnesty Commission has reintegrated 4,000 former Allied Democratic Forces rebels in Kasese District into the community in the past 13 years, the western regional commissioner for the watchdog, has revealed.

During a reconciliatory meeting in Kasese Town recently, Fr Thomas Kisembo said the commission had received 20,400 ex-combats but could only reintegrate 4,000 due to financial constraints.

Fr Kisembo said those who were given amnesty committed crimes during the time of its establishment but not before January 26, 1986. “We still have a number of non-reintegrated reporters who are still suffering in villages,” he said.

The cleric also said they had intergrated 7,000 ex-rebels countrywide out of the 26,000, adding that they would do more but were understaffed. He said the commission has trained former rebels in vocational skills to help them generate incomes at their house hold level.

Fr Kisembo appealed to all tribes to embrace forgiveness and reconciliation. “Why can’t the younger Bakonzo, Batooro, Basongora, Banyabindi, Bamba, Bawitsi reconcile since they never participated in the previous wars that affected their tribesmen?” he asked.

Earlier, the Kasese Resident District Commissioner, Mr Milton Odongo, appealed to all the rebels still in the bush to use the commission to surrender to government for resettlement.

“We know that many of them were forced into the rebellion. Go and tell your sisters and brothers, fathers and mothers to use the existence of Amnesty Commission so that work is simple for them,” Mr Odongo said.