allAfrica.com * Kony to Meet IDPs, Local Leaders New Vision (Kampala) NEWS 1 January 2008 Posted to the web 2 January 2008 By Chris Ocowun Kampala MORE than 400 local leaders and residents of IDP camps in Acholi, Lango and Teso have been mobilised to travel to Ri-Kwangba for consultation with Joseph Kony, the leader of the Lords Resistance Army rebels. The delegation, that will also have representatives from West Nile and Bunyoro regions, will leave for Ri-Kwangba in DR Congo on January 8, according to the organisers. The MP for Aswa county in Gulu district, Reagan Okumu, said members of the LRA peace team told them that each MP should mobilise at least five people from their constituency for the trip. "I am totally against this trip. What new things are people going to discuss with Kony again? This is a waste of time and resources," he said. Okumu, who is also the vice-chairman of the Acholi Parliamentary Group, was speaking during the end of year peace prayers organised by the Acholi Religious Leaders' Peace Initiative at Kaunda grounds in Gulu town on Monday. He said the LRA peace team headed by Martin Ojul, who concluded their countrywide consultations recently, should first give a report to Kony before calling others for more consultations with him. Okumu advised the Acholi to put pressure on Kony and the government to speedily conclude the Juba peace talks. However, many leaders have expressed reservations about meeting Kony, citing his alleged execution of his deputy Vincent Otti. One such leader is the the Gulu LC 5 vice-chairman, Makmot Kitara. He amused the gathering when he said he had ordered the organisers of the tip to delete his name from the list of people destined to meet Kony. Gulu Resident District Commissioner, Walter Ochora has vowed to mobilise people to reject the Ri-Kwangba trip for fear that Kony may also execute them. In 1996, Kony allegedly ordered the killing of Mzee Ogoni who was a peace emissary. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 2008 New Vision. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------