Ali Saloongo Kony, the son of fugitive Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) leader Joseph Kony, has voiced growing frustration over what he describes as prolonged uncertainty within the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), nearly two years after completing formal military training and expecting integration into the army.
Saloongo, who previously defected from the LRA in July 2021 while holding the rank of brigadier within the rebel structure, returned to Uganda in July 2023 together with members of his family, including his mother, following internal disagreements within the insurgent group.
After his return, he was received at State House Entebbe in August 2023, where he reportedly met President Yoweri Museveni in what was seen as a symbolic step toward his reintegration into civilian life and potential absorption into the national military system.
In June 2024, he was enrolled in a seven-month Senior Non-Commissioned Officers course at Gaddafi Military Barracks in Jinja alongside other Uganda People’s Defence Forces trainees, a program intended to transition former combatants and recruits into formal military service.
Despite completing the course successfully, Saloongo says he has since remained without deployment, official communication, or remuneration, describing his current situation as one of stagnation and uncertainty while he stays at home awaiting instructions.
He expressed disappointment that, unlike some of his colleagues who underwent similar training, he has not been assigned duties or given clarity on his future in the army, adding that the long silence has made him reconsider his military ambitions entirely.
According to him, the lack of progress and communication has pushed him to shift focus toward alternative livelihoods such as farming and other income-generating activities, as he no longer depends on expectations of a military career.
Meanwhile, UPDF Fourth Infantry Division Commander Maj. Gen. Felix Busizoori indicated that part of the issue may stem from expectations surrounding rank and promotion, explaining that military ranks are earned through structured progression and cannot be assumed based on previous rebel status, while also promising to look into the matter further.
