By Yvonne Mutesi
When conflict raged in Northern Uganda and fear haunted the nights, peace did not arrive through military victory or political declarations. It came through the voice of a radio presenter whose words travelled across villages, forests and rebel hideouts. On 102 Mega FM, David Okidi Lacambel hosted Dwog Cen Paco Acholi for “Come Back Home” a programme that would become a lifeline for abducted children, desperate families and rebels seeking a way out.
At the height of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency, Dwog Cen Paco transformed the airwaves from a source of fear into a beacon of hope. Each evening, Lacambel broadcast messages of forgiveness from parents, prayers from religious leaders and testimonies from former fighters. The programme urged LRA combatants to abandon the bush and return home under the government’s Amnesty Act of 2000.
One former rebel later recounted that hearing his mother’s voice on air changed his life. “She said she had forgiven me. That was the day I decided to leave the bush,” he said.
A recent study by Agalo Suzan Pompilla (2025), conducted at Uganda Christian University, reveals that the radio programme played a significant role in persuading hundreds of LRA fighters to surrender. Her thesis, “The Contribution of Radio Journalism to the Return Home of LRA Fighters”, documents how Dwog Cen Paco applied culturally grounded communication, blending peace messages with rituals such as Mato Oput and Nyono Tong Gweno that symbolise reconciliation in Acholi culture.
Pompilla’s research positions the programme as a landmark in peace journalism in Uganda. Unlike Rwanda’s 1994 genocide, where radio was used to incite hate, Mega FM demonstrated how the medium can heal, unite and rebuild communities. The show emphasised empathy, truth and reintegration rather than blame or demonisation.
What set Dwog Cen Paco apart was its tone. Rebels were addressed as sons and daughters, not enemies. Families were encouraged to forgive, not condemn. The programme adopted the philosophy of peace journalism, using storytelling and dialogue to reduce tensions and encourage solutions.
Today, as Uganda grapples with new conflicts often fought online rather than on the battlefield Lacambel’s approach remains deeply relevant. Political talk shows have become arenas for confrontation, while social media amplifies anger and division.
The lesson from Dwog Cen Paco is clear communication can either destroy or rebuild. Just as Lacambel used his microphone to soften hardened fighters, modern journalists and influencers can use theirs to promote dignity, understanding and truth.
As Uganda enters another election season and navigates rising youth frustration, the quiet courage that once brought rebels home offers a powerful reminder. Peace begins not in treaties, but in conversation.
As one LRA returnee told researchers, “Peace doesn’t start in a treaty. It starts in how we talk to each other.”
