THE Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) yesterday rejected the unilateral ceasefire allegedly declared by rebel chief Joseph Kony.

The army said the rebels must first fulfil the conditions which President Yoweri Museveni had laid down for peace.

At the same time several politicians and local leaders doubted Kony's sincerity after the rebel leader over the weekend killed eight of his fighters in southern Sudan for planning to defect to the Government.

The rebels also killed two people and burned their vehicle in Kilak, Gulu district.

Local press reports yesterday quoted Kony, the leader of the Lord's Resistance Movement/Army, as having ordered a unilateral ceasefire effective midnight on Saturday.

Rebel commander Sam Kolo was quoted by the press as saying Kony had ordered all rebels in Sudan and Uganda not to attack the UPDF.

Kolo did not mention attacks on civilians.

Army spokesman Major Shaban Bantariza yesterday said he had orders from the acting army commander, Maj. Gen. James Kazini, not to cease fire.

He said, "It is business as usual until the Commander-in-Chief, President Yoweri Museveni, gives alternative orders.

"We are continuing to fight or hunt them. The army expects the rebels to follow the conditions President Museveni gave them and assemble in the places mentioned before a ceasefire can be declared.

"Who can trust these rebels who keep on roaming the woodlands in the north as they kill, abduct and burn vehicles.

"Peace talks is a political matter and we are awaiting orders from our political leader (Museveni)."

Museveni on Friday told Gulu's Mega FM that he would declare a one-week ceasefire to pave way for peace talks if the rebels stopped their attempts to abduct people, released all captives and stopped killing families of captives who escape.

Museveni named a team of government negotiators to be led by the First Deputy Prime minister and minister for internal affairs, Eriya Kategaya.

The Minister for the Presidency, Prof. Gilbert Bukenya, said, "If the rebels stop killing innocent people, I will be happy to sit down with them to talk. But as of now, I doubt their sincerity."

Maj. Gen. Salim Saleh, the commander of the reserve force, said, "I have not been briefed about the rebel ceasefire. You should know I am a peace-maker and I want the war finished."

Reagan Okumu (MP Aswa) and a mediator of the government-LRA peace initiative and vice-president of Col. Kizza Besigye's Reform Agenda, said the rebels telephoned him on Saturday and said they were declaring a ceasefire and wanted the team of mediators expanded.

Okumu said rebel commander Tolbert Yardin Nyeko told him that they wanted Chief Rwot Oywak of Pajule in Pader, Gulu district boss Lt. Col. Walter Ochora, state ministers Betty Akech and Bosco Oryem and Nobert Mao, MP Gulu Municipality, included as mediators.

The original team of mediators included Archbishop of Northern Uganda John Odama, retired Kitgum bishop Macleord Ochola, Michael Ocula (MP Kilak county) and Reagan Okumu.

"The rebels are serious on their ceasefire. They want the mediators to meet them quickly to prepare to communicate to President Museveni. They want to know when and where the talks should take place," Okumu said.

Saleh, Bukenya and Okumu are members of Kategaya's team.