Uganda coordinates with Sudan against rebels LRA

By Grace Matsiko

KAMPALA, July 13, 2004 (The Monitor) — President Yoweri Museveni has deployed Brig. Kale Kayihura to Juba in southern Sudan to coordinate with the Sudanese government in the offensive against the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels.

Kayihura was appointed on July 7 and the posting took immediate effect.
He is the UPDF’s Chief Political Commissar. He was posted to the Sudan as Uganda’s special military liaison officer in Juba, military sources told The Monitor during the weekend. Kayihura is also the Military Assistant to the President.

“We need close cooperation with the Arabs [Khartoum government]. Like now, Kony is in Nisitu. What is he doing there?” the Army Spokesman, Maj. Shaban Bantariza, said, referring to the importance of Kayihura’s appointment.

“They [Sudan] are giving him food, medicine. He sleeps on Sudan government mattresses. His greatest problem now is feeding well. There should be smooth exchange of information and understanding with each other at close range without ambassadors and ministers flying to Khartoum,” Bantariza said.

The LRA have been terrorising northern Uganda for about 17 years.
Intelligence officials say Kony and his top commanders are two kilometres away from Sudan government forces in Nisitu, five kilometres from the redline which separates UPDF troops from the Sudan army.

Nisitu is about 47km, northeast of UPDF tactical headquarters in Eastern Equatorial Province. Uganda and Sudan signed a protocol requiring the latter to apprehend Kony and his fighters whenever they enter areas under Sudan control and hand them over to the UPDF.

Military sources said the Army Commander, Lt. Gen. Aronda Nyakairima, on Friday congratulated Kayihura upon his new appointment during a Staff and Command meeting at Bombo General Army Headquarters.

Aronda reportedly said that Kayihura’s posting to Juba coupled with the pressure the UPDF is exerting on Kony means that the end to LRA terrorism is near.