Kampala — Leaders of the dreaded Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) now have a chance to be tried locally after the Judiciary announced a new High Court Division to deal with serious war crimes.

In a Friday circular to judges and judicial officers, the Principal Judge James Ogoola said the War Crimes Court is

mandated to handle serious war crimes and human rights violations arising out of the northern Uganda armed conflict.

The War Crimes Court will comprise a bench of at least three judges and a registry including an office of the prosecutor and that of a defence counsel.

Justice Akiiki Kiiza, formally a judge at the Civil Division, will head the new War Crimes Court. He will be deputised by Justice Eldad Mwangusya, the former head of the Family Division.

Lady Justice Ibanda Nahamya, who has been working with the International Criminal Court in Sierra Leone, will assist the duo.

In an attempt to convince the ICC that the matter can be handled internally, Kampala and the rebels agreed to set up a Special Division of Uganda's High Court to deal with war crimes LRA boss Joseph Kony and his two deputies are wanted for multiple war crimes by the ICC in The Hague.

ICC prosecutors accuse the LRA of crimes including rape, murder and the abduction of thousands of children.