The family of Joseph Kony has told President Museveni that the Lord’s Resistance Army(LRA) leader who is now 62 is weak .
On Friday, Kony’s family led by his son, Brig Ali Ssalongo Kony met President Museveni at State House in Entebbe.
Ali Kony who came along with his mother, children and his father’s uncle Kony Otim Thomas expressed gratitude to President Museveni for welcoming them back home to reunite with their community and said they are ready to become productive citizens.
The Chief of Pageya Chiefdom, Rwot Yusuf Okwonga Adek III also thanked President Museveni for the current peace prevailing in Northern Uganda that has enabled their people to return back home.
Rwot informed H.E Museveni that Joseph Kony who is now about 62 years old is weak and unable to fight back, adding that the focus should now be rehabilitating and supporting his family to engage in productive activities like farming.
“Your excellency, Kony’s children are now your children. The family needs help from you as their father,” Rwot Yusuf Okwonga Adek said.
In response, President Museveni promised to help them get land which they can utilize to carry out agriculture collectively as a family and join the money economy.
He however asked them to understand the concept of a family company which he said is easier to operate than dividing everything amongst themselves.
“We can help them set up a farm there so that they work together as a company and then share what comes out. All the children and the wives should be shareholders. What I’m telling you is what I have been telling other Ugandans. So, I can use you as an example and become a model for other people to see,” Museveni said.
He also promised to continue supporting Kony war victims across the country.
The meeting was also attended by the Presidential Coordinator for Northern Uganda, Odoch Bosco Olak, among others.
In 1987, Kony launched a rebellion against the Ugandan government basing his war in Northern Uganda where thousands of civilians were killed, raped , maimed and others displaced from their homes as the war raged on for more than two decades.
Following hot pursuit by the UPDF, Kony and his rebels ran towards Central African Republic and it is said that is where they are currently are and weakened.
A warrant of arrest was issued against Joseph Kony in 2005 and it referred to 33 charges that he committed in Northern Uganda by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The office of the ICC prosecutor early this year noted that it is exploring the possibility of slapping more charges against Kony.
The charges which are stemming from both crimes against humanity and war crime include rape, attack against civilian population, sexual enslavement murder, enslavement, rape, intentionally directing attacks against the civilian population, pillaging, and forced conscription of child soldiers, among others.
The US government last year placed a shs17 billion bounty on Kony’s head.