‘Opoka takes LRA command’
Oct 22, 2002
THE Army Commander, Maj. James Kazini, has said that Maj. James Opoka is now the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander in chief but not Joseph Kony
By Chris Ochuwun
THE Army Commander, Maj. James Kazini, has said that Maj. James Opoka is now the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander in chief but not Joseph Kony. “Opoka is now the brain behind the LRA not Joseph Kony,†Kazini said.
Kazini, while talking to journalists at his office in the UPDF 4th Division headquarters in Gulu on Tuesday, said Opoka was now the one planning and linking LRA with other rebel groups. “LRA is now relying on Opoka and he should be called the commander in chief not Kony,†he said.
Last month, the army released photographs which they said were those of Opoka with some LRA rebels in the bush. The photographs were allegedly recovered from captured rebel camps.
Kazini said Kony and his fighters were on the run and that the UPDF would get them. “Our soldiers are in Sudan hunting for Kony and I still stand by my word that by December 31, 2002, Kony will be no more,†Kazini said.
He said Kony crossed from Sudan to Uganda in June with about 1,500 fighters in eight different groups but now there were about 300 fighters in three groups.
He said there were 100 rebels in Pader and 200 LRA fighters in Gulu district. Kazini added that Kitgum district was free of rebels at the moment.
“Kony would love to be here, but for fear of being killed, he keeps on moving to Sudan to hide,†Kazini said, adding that Kony had no capacity to fight the UPDF.
THE Army Commander, Maj. James Kazini, has said that Maj. James Opoka is now the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander in chief but not Joseph Kony. “Opoka is now the brain behind the LRA not Joseph Kony,†Kazini said.
Kazini, while talking to journalists at his office in the UPDF 4th Division headquarters in Gulu on Tuesday, said Opoka was now the one planning and linking LRA with other rebel groups. “LRA is now relying on Opoka and he should be called the commander in chief not Kony,†he said.
Last month, the army released photographs which they said were those of Opoka with some LRA rebels in the bush. The photographs were allegedly recovered from captured rebel camps.
Kazini said Kony and his fighters were on the run and that the UPDF would get them. “Our soldiers are in Sudan hunting for Kony and I still stand by my word that by December 31, 2002, Kony will be no more,†Kazini said.
He said Kony crossed from Sudan to Uganda in June with about 1,500 fighters in eight different groups but now there were about 300 fighters in three groups.
He said there were 100 rebels in Pader and 200 LRA fighters in Gulu district. Kazini added that Kitgum district was free of rebels at the moment.
“Kony would love to be here, but for fear of being killed, he keeps on moving to Sudan to hide,†Kazini said, adding that Kony had no capacity to fight the UPDF.