KAMPALA, Uganda — Ali Saloongo Kony, the son of fugitive Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) leader Joseph Kony, has expressed frustration over what he describes as prolonged uncertainty within the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), nearly two years after returning to civilian life and months after completing formal military training.
Saloongo, who defected from the LRA in July 2021 while holding the rebel rank of brigadier, returned to Uganda in July 2023 alongside members of his family, including his mother, after reportedly falling out with his father.
His return was viewed as a significant symbolic victory for Ugandan authorities and regional efforts aimed at dismantling the remnants of the once-feared rebel movement. In August 2023, Saloongo met President Yoweri Museveni at State House Entebbe as part of his reintegration process.
The former rebel commander later enrolled in a seven-month Senior Non-Commissioned Officers (SNCO) training course at Gaddafi Military Barracks in Jinja City in June 2024, undertaking military instruction alongside serving UPDF personnel.
However, despite successfully completing the course, Saloongo says he remains without deployment, assignment, or clear communication regarding his future within the military.
Speaking to Vivid Voice News, the 31-year-old said the prolonged wait has left him questioning whether the training had any purpose.
“I did the course and I am at home at the moment. There is nothing happening, and it is like I never even attended any military training,” he said.
According to Saloongo, he has not received any payment related to the training and has spent much of the past two years waiting for direction from the military establishment.
The uncertainty, he said, has gradually eroded his interest in pursuing a military career.
“At the moment, I am looking at what to do to help me survive. In fact, the training I did is no longer useful, and I also don’t intend to join the army anymore,” he said.
He further questioned why others who underwent similar training have already been deployed while he remains idle.
“How is it possible that I can stay two years without any message from the army and without deployment as if I didn’t undertake that training, yet I see others being deployed?” he asked.
From rebel commander to uncertain future
Saloongo’s story reflects one of the most high-profile defections from the LRA in recent years.
Born into the leadership structure of the rebel group, he spent much of his life within the movement founded by his father, Joseph Kony. During his years in the bush, he rose rapidly through the ranks, reportedly attaining the rank of brigadier by the age of 27.
He also served as chief of security and coordination commander for LRA elements and allied groups operating across parts of Sudan and the Central African Republic (CAR).
Following his return to Uganda, authorities presented his reintegration as part of broader efforts to encourage remaining LRA fighters and abductees to defect and return home.
His case therefore carries significance beyond his personal circumstances, touching on wider questions about how former rebel commanders are rehabilitated and integrated into national institutions after abandoning insurgent movements.
UPDF cites rank expectations
Responding to Saloongo’s complaints, UPDF Fourth Infantry Division Commander Maj. Gen. Felix Busizoori suggested that part of the misunderstanding may stem from expectations regarding military rank and progression within the national army.
Busizoori said Saloongo had sought recognition equivalent to the brigadier rank he held within the LRA, an expectation the military could not accommodate.
“You know he was claiming he wanted to be a brigadier. Brigadier is not just given like that. You do a junior recruit course and expect to be a general? Things do not happen like that,” Busizoori said.
The commander noted that military ranks within the UPDF are earned through established structures, training, experience, and promotion processes rather than previous positions held in non-state armed groups.
Busizoori said he could not immediately confirm whether Saloongo is receiving any salary or allowances from the military but pledged to make inquiries into the matter.
LRA legacy still casts a shadow
Saloongo remains one of the highest-profile figures to defect from the LRA in recent years.
His departure was seen as a significant setback for Joseph Kony, who remains one of Africa’s most wanted fugitives and is sought by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on 39 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in northern Uganda between 2002 and 2005.
Although the LRA no longer poses the threat it once did in Uganda, small remnants of the group are believed to remain active in remote parts of Central Africa.
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Between May 21 and June 5 this year, Ugandan authorities repatriated at least 19 former LRA abductees and combatants, including two women believed to have been among Joseph Kony’s wives and three children, following their defection from the rebel group.
For analysts, Saloongo’s complaints highlight the difficult transition many former insurgents face after leaving armed groups. While reintegration programmes often focus on rehabilitation and training, long-term success frequently depends on providing clear pathways to employment, social acceptance, and economic stability.
For now, the son of one of Africa’s most notorious rebel leaders says he has shifted his attention away from military service and towards farming and other income-generating activities as he seeks to rebuild his life outside the shadow of the LRA.
