Govt welcomes Joseph Kony wife, children

By Eddie Ssejjoba  

KAMPALA - The Government of Uganda has received four close family members of Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander Joseph Kony.

Members who have flown in from the Central African Republic (CAR) include Kony’s wife, two daughters, and a son.

The family members, Judith Acan, her two daughters: Amu Maisa and Betty Akidi and her son Pope Kony, arrived at Entebbe International Airport at about 12:55am on February 26, 2025, aboard an Ethiopian Airlines plane. 

The individuals, who were received by Northern Uganda state minister Dr Kenneth Omona, were accompanied by CAR director (minister) of cabinet for disarmament, demobilisation, resettlement and reintegration (DDRR) Fuibert Dabira and Marianne Moore, a member of the Pax Netherlands, a non-government organisation (NGO) that has been facilitating the return of former LRA rebels and their relatives back to Uganda.

Omona hugged the returnees and spoke to them in Acholi, welcoming them back to Uganda. They looked nervous on arrival at the VIP lounge where a team of journalists was waiting but after some interactions, they started wearing smiles, with some of them responding in Acholi.

Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander Joseph Kony's wife Judith Acan (L) is greeted by Northern Uganda state minister Dr Kenneth Omon (R) upon their arrival at Entebbe International Airport. Centre is Kony's son Pope Kony. (Credit: All Photos by Eddie Ssejjoba)

Northern Uganda state minister Dr Kenneth Omona (R) greets Kony's son Pope Kony as his (Kony) daughters Betty Akidi, and Amu Maisa look on.

Omona thanked CAR president Faustin Archange Touadera who he said has worked with President Yoweri Museveni to ensure that ‘our children here who have been with LRA return home’.

“As you may be aware, we have an understanding with CAR, especially between President Museveni and his counterpart from CAR, to ensure that any person or combatant that surrenders in CAR will be returned home and agreed that they can also return with their wives and children,” he said.

He added that Uganda has enjoyed this relationship for the past five years and this, he said, had enabled the country to receive over 157 former combatants who have surrendered and repatriated back home with their children and wives, some of whom were not necessarily citizens of Uganda.

Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander Joseph Kony's wife Judith Acan.

Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander Joseph Kony's daughter Betty Akidi.

Transforming live

“During all this time we have we have had all these people in the transit camp in Gulu and they have been undergoing skills training to enable them settle back to their communities and be able to lead their lives with the skills they have acquired,” he explained.

Omona said the Government also has a memorandum of understanding with PAX Netherlands that has been helping equip the people with skills and has had them in the transit camps in Gulu since last year.

He said the trainees will be passing out in May this year with various skills.

Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander Joseph Kony's daughter Amu Maisa.

Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander Joseph Kony's son Pope Kony.

They will also receive startup kits from Pax so that they can manage their lives once they settle back in communities. In addition, he said, Pax was constructing basic housing for the returnees.

The minister said Uganda mid-January this year he accompanied nine women and 10 children who were wives of former combatants who were returned to CAR, who he said decided to first go back home to meet their families.

He said others had remained in Uganda as wives of former combatants and were too undergoing skills training with their husbands in Gulu.

Northern Uganda state minister Dr Kenneth Omona (R) speaks to the press.

“What is special about this group is that they are close family members of Joseph Kony, so we welcome them back home and will help them, the government with PAX, skill them so that they are able to settle back into their communities like other”.

“We continue to call on others who are still there including LRA and other armed groups who have been fighting against Uganda to come back home because the door is still open,” he said, adding that the Government of Uganda is open to accept them back home and contribute to the social-economic transformation of the country like any other citizens.

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Bellow is a picture highlight as Government of Uganda received four close family members of Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander Joseph Kony, all photos by Eddie Ssejjoba;