news 9 June 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Archbishop Odama still awaits Kony's return 20 years after bush meeting
Two decades after a perilous meeting in the Democratic Republic of Congo, retired Archbishop John Baptist Odama reflects on the ongoing absence of LRA leader Joseph Kony, despite significant progress in peace efforts. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/odama-still-waiting-for-kony-s-answer-20-years-later-5490254
In July 2006, a delegation led by Archbishop John Baptist Odama of the Gulu Catholic Archdiocese ventured into Garamba National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo to meet with Joseph Kony, the elusive leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).
Archbishop Odama, who served for 25 years before retiring in 2023, was a central figure in advocating for peace between the Ugandan government and the LRA, a rebel group responsible for immense suffering in northern Uganda. The journey into the LRA’s hideout was fraught with danger but undertaken with the sole purpose of initiating a ceasefire and fostering a peace deal.
During his face-to-face encounter with Kony and his top commanders, Archbishop Odama directly questioned Kony’s intentions, asking when he would return home, if he cared about the people’s suffering, and if he truly desired peace. “I ask you, when will you return home?” the Archbishop recalls asking. However, Kony reportedly provided no verbal response, only looking down timidly.
Archbishop Odama expressed that while significant progress has been made since that meeting, with many former abductees and rebel fighters returning home and reintegrating into society, Kony’s continued absence remains a persistent concern. Even in retirement, the Archbishop Emeritus yearns to see Kony emerge from hiding, viewing his return as the ultimate answer to his 20-year-old question.
Beyond the high-level meetings, Archbishop Odama also demonstrated solidarity with the war’s most vulnerable, notably the “night commuters” – children forced to sleep in public bus parks to escape LRA attacks. He and other clerics even spent nights alongside these children to understand their plight and amplify calls for peace.
While the guns have fallen silent in northern Uganda, the war’s repercussions, including mental health issues, poverty, and a rise in street children, continue to affect communities. Archbishop Odama stresses the need for collective responsibility in caring for the children affected by the conflict.
Despite numerous defections and the repatriation of LRA elements from South Sudan in recent weeks, Kony himself remains at large, facing international war crimes charges. The LRA’s brutal insurgency, which began in the late 1980s, saw widespread abductions and immense suffering over two decades.