M7, Kazini Camp In Gulu

By Dennis Ojwee in GuluLT. GEN. Yoweri Museveni, the Commander-in-Chief of the UPDF, has pitched camp in Gulu, giving morale to the army as it tackles rebel Kony’s latest infiltration from bases in southern Sudan. The Army Commander, Maj. General James Kazini, is also in Gulu.Army spokesman Maj. Shaban Bantariza told The New Vision yesterday that Museveni was in Gulu to assess the security situation there and to ensure that Kony does not strike the area again.Museveni has been in Gulu since Tuesday following the attack by the Lord’s Resistance Army at Agoro market in Kitgum on February 23.A UPDF Captain was killed and 11 soldiers injured as they pursued the rebels into their hideouts in southern Sudan.“As the army chief, the President is on the ground in Gulu, doing his military commanding work. The soldiers are also very happy with his physical stay and practical work of commanding and giving direction to the army officers against the rebels.That’s why he is in Gulu to ensure that the soldiers do their work to make sure that Kony does not strike again from Sudan,” he said.Bantariza also said Kony was no longer a threat and had no capacity to withstand the pressure from the UPDF troops.He denied allegations that more UPDF soldiers were killed in southern Sudan in a fresh LRA ambush.“We have not had any contact with the rebels again apart from the Agoro one on February 23. So the rebels cannot kill our soldiers when we have not had confrontation,” he added.Bantariza said the troops, who pursued the rebels into Sudan, were from the 23rd and the 31st battalions.President Museveni on Wednesday visited thousands of UPDF soldiers undergoing military infantry training at Aswa Ranch, Aruu constituency in Pader district.He addressed the soldiers, encouraged and wished them well. Bantariza said Kony, with some 500 combatants, was still roaming about the Uganda-Sudan border with the aim of launching another attack on Uganda.“Kony doesn’t have the capacity now to manage our forces, the UPDF, which are heavily deployed along the border line. That’s why they were compelled to retreat into southern Sudan, their base,” he said.Kony himself commanded the rebels who attacked on February 23. He also recorded the raid on video tape. As the UPDF closed in on him, he addressed his captives and freed them.Ends