Kwoyelo: I am a changed man, I want to meet Museveni

By Petride Mudoola

Jailed former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebel commander, Thomas Kwoyelo, wants to meet President Museveni. Kwoyelo claims he has a confession to make to the President.

In an exclusive interview with New Vision, Kwoyelo lamented that ever since he was incarcerated; his efforts to seek audience with the President have been futile. He explained that his efforts through various emissaries have not been forthcoming.

Kwoyelo who wears a depressed and frustrated face for failure to meet the President said: “I have been sending messages through the Acholi religious leaders’ peace initiatives and the Acholi Paramount chief with hope that being a traditional leader; he is better placed to deliver my plea but I have not received any response to date.”

Asked how he can convince Government, he retorted: “I am regarded a dangerous person because Government has not bothered to come to prison and interact with me yet am willing to cooperate. I want to meet the President because I have a lot to share with him. I have realized my past mistakes. I am very cooperative. Government should not regard me as a dangerous person.”

Kwoyelo, who is pursuing a peace making and reconciliation programme said he has benefited from the course and pledged to practice what he has learnt.

On March 2, 2009, the former LRA fourth in command was captured in the bushes of Garamba in the Democratic Republic of Congo during a joint operation by the UPDF, Congolese and SPLA armies as he attempted to flee the battlefield with the armed forces.

Kwoyelo was charged with 53 counts of crimes against humanity and remanded at Luzira Maximum security Prison in connection with the two-decade bloody war that claimed thousands of lives and loss of property in the Northern region.