In 1997, Mr Patrick Oryem Lumumba was forcibly abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and endured over two decades of captivity. Like his colleague, Stephen Okot, Oryem escaped the clutches of the LRA in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and returned to freedom in 2019, marking a significant shift in their lives.

Oryem now resides in Patongo Town Council, Agago District, where he recalls the traumatic events of his abduction from Too-coo village, Lukwangole parish, in Patongo Sub County in 1997.

As a child soldier in the LRA, he says: “Life in the camp was harsh,” he recalls, “a stark contrast to the comforts of home. Rain was a constant companion during our marches,” he remembers, noting that they often trekked distances of 20 to 100 kilometers without rest until reaching their destination.

“Rest came only after hectic training and deployment. Complaints of fatigue were met with punishment or worse, which could result in death,” Oryem explains.

Meanwhile, Stephen Okot, abducted in 2001, endured 19 years in captivity before his escape in mid-2019.

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