The young boy who dedicated his early life to innocently serving God at the altar had suddenly become a monster. Instead of hope, he spread a tide of despair. His name echoed across the four nations, leaving a trail of heartache, devastation, and chilling intrigue.
The sad story doesn't just span years but centuries, encompassing Uganda, South Sudan, the DRC, and the Central African Republic, leaving a tale of atrocity, unimaginable suffering, and a reign of terror that refused to relent.
From the aftermath of the conflict emerged an unthinkable reality: child soldiers, death, and girls condemned to horrors of life no one should ever endure.
Who is the man who instigated all of this?
Joseph Kony - a man who believed himself to be a messiah while orchestrating one of the darkest chapters in history.
The Early Life of Kony
Joseph Kony was born in 1961 in Odek sub-county in Northern Uganda (Acholiland) to a Christian family. His father was a staunch Catholic, while his mother was an Anglican.
Kony served the Lord dutifully during his childhood and teen years, even becoming an altar boy in his local church. This continued until 1976 when he dropped out of school and became a traditional healer.
This mix of Acholi customs and Christian fundamentalism would later shape Kony's worldview.
Rise of Joseph Kony
Joseph Kony would rise to prominence in 1986 after taking over the Holy Spirit Movement (HSM), a rebel group led by his aunt, Alice Lakwena.
To understand why the HSM emerged, we need to delve into Uganda's history – its colonial past, the struggle for independence, political coups, and presidential changes.
A Brief History of Uganda
For much of Uganda's history, its political elite came from the South and Central regions.
During colonial times, the British focused on developing the South while excluding the North, employing a "divide and conquer" policy.
The Acholi and other northern ethnic groups provided labor and comprised the majority of the military.
Uganda gained independence in 1962, with Sir Edward Mutesa II, the King of Buganda, serving as the first president. However, he was deposed by Prime Minister Milton Obote in 1966, marking the beginning of political turmoil.
In 1971, Obote was overthrown by Idi Amin, consolidating power in the North, particularly among the Acholi and Langi, while the South faced hardships.
Northern rule persisted until 1987 when Yoweri Museveni's National Resistance Army (NRA) toppled Tito Okello's regime. Revenge ensued, leading to the formation of the HSM.
The Holy Spirit Movement (HSM)
The HSM was established to defend the rights of the Acholi, who had suffered atrocities at the hands of the NRA in their quest for revenge. However, by 1987, the NRA had crushed HSM's resistance, and Lakwena fled to a refugee camp in Kenya.
Soon after, Joseph Kony founded the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), proclaiming himself a prophet and messiah on a mission to save his people. Initially, people supported him, but things would soon take a dark turn.
Kony and the LRA
Kony quickly turned against his supporters, aiming to "cleanse" Acholiland and establish an ethnocracy in Uganda.
The LRA gained notoriety for its violence in Uganda, DRC, and Sudan, committing indiscriminate killings, kidnappings, sexual slavery, and recruiting child soldiers.
Since its inception in 1986, the LRA abducted and forced approximately 60,000 children to fight for them, displacing over 2 million people. They waged war for two decades in Uganda and later in South Sudan, DRC, and CAR.
In 2001, the U.S. government designated the LRA as a terrorist group. Later, in 2005, the ICC issued arrest warrants for five members of the LRA, including Joseph Kony himself, his deputy Vincent Otti, and LRA commanders Raska Lukwiya, Okot Odhiambo, and Domnick, on charges of crimes against humanity.
Three years later, in 2008, the U.S. declared Kony a global terrorist and offered to support a military operation against the LRA through its African branch, AFRICOM. AFRICOM provided training and $1 million in financial support for Operation Lightning Thunder, a joint mission involving Ugandan, South Sudanese, and Congolese forces, with the mission of clearing out the LRA once and for all.
Unfortunately, the operation failed, and the LRA retaliated against the Congolese population, whom they believed had supported the joint mission. One thousand people were killed, and over 200,000 were displaced.
The group eventually splintered to avoid capture, and most of the soldiers escaped into the vast forests of the Central African Republic.
The Recent Past
By 2013, reports suggested Kony was ready to negotiate his surrender, but he never appeared. In 2017, the LRA's membership had dwindled to fewer than 100 soldiers.
The USA and Uganda government ended efforts to find Kony, considering him no longer a threat. Some LRA soldiers took advantage of Uganda's Amnesty program, offering immunity to rebels who had taken up arms against the government since 1986.
Kony remains at large, speculated to be hiding in the vast forests of CAR or Darfur, Sudan.
Final Thoughts
While researching Kony's story, it soon struck me that the only true victims in this narrative are the civilians. The rest are merely wolves in sheep's clothing.
The NRM (later renamed UPDF), the SPLA (South Sudanese Force), and the Congolese National Army are all guilty of the atrocities they accuse the LRA of committing. They have maimed, killed, raped, and continue to be involved in significant corruption. Not to mention the Western countries like the USA, which fund these forces without proper checks in place to monitor how and where the funds are used. It's all about interests, primarily the exploitation of natural resources.
If only the citizens would rise and demand more from their governments and leaders.
What About Kony?
Kony is a washed-up warlord who deserves, scratch that, needs to continue living. Let the tormented souls of his victims keep him wide awake at night.
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Remember, it is time to tell our stories.
Till next time.
Mike.
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