The Woman MP for Nwoya, Christine Lanyero, has asked the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) to provide urgent support to former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels who recently returned to Uganda from South Sudan under the government’s amnesty programme.
Speaking to Bbeg Media at Parliament, Lanyero said the returnees need food, medicine, counselling, and livelihood support to help them rebuild their lives and settle peacefully in their communities.
“I ask the government, through the Office of the Prime Minister, to support these people with food, medicine and skills training to enable them to resettle peacefully,” Lanyero said.
She said a group of about 42 former rebels, including women, men and children, was recently received from South Sudan through the government’s amnesty process.
According to Lanyero, many of the returnees arrived in poor condition. She said they were hungry, malnourished, sick and in need of psychosocial support after spending years away from their homes.
She said local leaders would continue engaging the government to ensure the former rebels receive the assistance they need. She also encouraged the returnees to peacefully reintegrate into their communities.
Under Uganda’s Amnesty Act, former rebels who renounce armed rebellion are pardoned and helped to return to civilian life through a structured reintegration process.
Besides issuing amnesty certificates, the Amnesty Commission also supports returnees through resettlement assistance, psychosocial counselling, community dialogue, reconciliation programmes and public awareness campaigns aimed at promoting peaceful coexistence.
According to government figures, more than 28,340 former rebels, most of them from the Lord’s Resistance Army, have been granted amnesty since the programme began in 2000.
Meanwhile, Lanyero also appealed to the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to protect communities living near Murchison Falls National Park from attacks by wild animals.
She said at least five residents have been killed by elephants, leaving many families grieving and several children orphaned.
Lanyero urged UWA to strengthen measures to control wildlife movements and prevent further attacks on nearby communities.
Her appeal comes shortly after elephants reportedly attacked a group of Uganda Revenue Authority workers who were visiting Murchison Falls National Park.
