Army clears 43 rescued ADF captives for amnesty certificates

KAMPALA - The Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) has handed over 43 rescued Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) captives to Amnesty International Uganda for amnesty clearance.

This was during a function held at the defence ministry headquarters at Mbuya in Kampala on Friday (May 2, 2025) to graduate the group after twelve weeks of rehabilitation.

According to Maj. Bilal Katamba, the deputy director defence public information, UPDF, said the army is working with Bridgeway, an NGO, to rehabilitate the captives, rescued people and reporters gotten from the jungles of the Democratic Republic of Congo ( DRC) in a joint military operation, Operation Shujaa.

Maj. Bilal Katamba, the deputy director defence public information, UPDF, said the rehabilitation process has included, among others, psychosocial support, a deradicalisation programme, skills them and spiritual counselling to prepare them for proper settlement and integration within the communities where they were abducted from. (All Photos by Mpalanyi Ssentongo)

"This is the fifth group since rehabilitated, it has been undergoing rehabilitation and training for the last three months. So this event is made to one, graduate and get them through the process of amnesty. That is why we have Amnesty Uganda here," Katamba said.

He said the rehabilitation process has included, among others, psychosocial support, a deradicalisation programme, skills them and spiritual counselling to prepare them for proper settlement and integration within the communities where they were abducted from.

"A number of them were abducted by the rebel group, especially adults. They have been equipped through training with hands-on skills, including motorcycle mechanics, repair, sewing, weaving, painting, elementary carpentry, shoe making and baking, among others," he said.

ADF captives showcase what they have achieved during the three-month rehabilitation process. This was at Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Mbuya on Friday May 2, 2025.

Katamba said six of the 43 are from the DRC, two are from Tanzania, and the rest are Ugandans.

"The defence, intelligence and security of the UPDF working with our partners, have done family tracing, and families have already been identified and family members contacted at least for the 33 Ugandans who are here," Katamba said.

He reported that one of the mothers who was rescued while pregnant gave birth to bouncing twins.

Denis Nkwasibwe, Commissioner, Amnesty Commission (L), Maj. Bilal Katamba, Deputy Director Defence Public Information (2nd left) and Noah Tumwebaze, Project Coordinator, Bridgeway Foundation (R) prepare to give out amnesty certificates to some of the rehabilitated ADF captives at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs (MoDVA) headquarters in Mbuya, Kampala on Friday May 2,2025.

"Now we hope that the adults will go into gainful employment, especially after this training that you have given them and the young ones, we hope will utilise the several government programmes available, especially the educational programmes we have such as Universal Primary Education and Universal Secondary Education, which are fully paid by government of Uganda," he said.

Bridgeway indicated that the ADF has since emerged as the deadliest terror group in the region.

Noah Tumwebaze, the head of Bridgeway in Uganda, reported that since 2018, the ADF has killed over 5000 people, bringing devastating effects on the communities as well as attempting to launch cross-border attacks beyond Uganda in Tanzania and Rwanda.

Denis Nkwasibwe, Commissioner, Amnesty Commission (2nd left) handing over amnesty certificates to some of the rehabilitated ADF captives at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs (MoDVA) headquarters in Mbuya on Friday.

"Their mass atrocities against civilians forced recruitment of children and acts of terror, displacement and violence. But at Bridgeway Foundation, we are committed to breaking that cycle, not just by addressing the aftermath of violence, but preventing it at its roots."
Tumwebaze added that at Bridgeway, they confront the challenges through interconnected strategies.

"Number one, we use defection messaging, which encourages fighters to abandon their weapons and reduce violence. Number two, rehabilitation and reintegration, which provides defectors and lower-level fighters with a pathway from extremism and offers them peace. This is what we are here to celebrate because of the rehabilitation programme," he said.

Tumwebaze added that, unlike traditional counter-terrorism efforts that focus on prevention and deterrence, they actively discard these groups from within by encouraging defections and transforming fighters into allies of peace. 

UPDF Deputy Director Defence Public Information Maj. Bilal Katamba (R) interacts with some of the ADF rehabilitated captives after they received their amnesty certificates.

"Our defection messaging campaign is bold and innovative, using speakers and the distribution of over 400,000 come back home message flyers and calling on radio fighters to defect. This message penetrates deep into the groups," he said.

Nathan Atwine, the principal legal officer of the Amnesty Commission Uganda, warned them against rejoining the rebel group.

"Amnesty is given once, don't go back to the rebellion because you will not be given amnesty again, you will be taken somewhere else, either in court or military court martial," he said.

Muhammad Asimau, one of the rescued captives, commended President Yoweri Museveni, UPDF and Bridgeway Foundation for receiving them and rehabilitating them with life-changing skills.