Holy Spirit Movement The Holy Spirit Movement ( HSM ) was the Uganda n rebel group led by Alice Auma , a spirit - medium who claimed to receive direction from the spirit Lakwena . Alice , an ethnic Acholi , was purportedly directed to form the HSM by Lakwena in August 1986 . Technically the Holy Spirit Movement is the political wing of Alice ' s organization and the Holy Spirit Mobile Force is the military wing , but there was no real separation of functions and the titles are used interchangeably . After gathering a small group of followers , Alice convinced the rebel Uganda People ' s Democratic Army ( UPDA ) to put some of their troops under her command in November 1986 . In November and December 1986 , the HSMF achieved two unexpected victories over government National Resistance Army forces . These victories brought widespread popular support , including among other northern ethnic groups besides the Acholi , and attracted new recruits to the HSM . Much of the popular support was the result of a strict but fair set of guidelines given to followers that governed the relationship of HSM rebels with the populace , which created a positive impression compared to the government or other rebel groups that were often seen to be abusing their military strength . The Holy Spirit Movement fought as a regular army — taking and controlling territory , as well as holding pitched battles with NRA forces — but had a number of practices that outsiders found bizarre . Spiritual " controllers " were integrated into each unit . Along with duties such as tending to Alice Auma while she was possessed , they smeared blessed oil on combatants that was supposed to stop bullets if the combatant ' s soul was pure . Stones were blessed so they would explode like grenades , and combatants walked into combat in cross - shaped formations while singing hymn s . While the HSM suffered a number of horrific defeats , particularly when defending NRA soldiers had machine guns to fire upon the hymn - singing formations walking towards them , these methods were , according to some accounts , surprisingly effective . The alliance between the Uganda People ' s Democratic Army and the HSM quickly fell apart . By early 1987 the UPDA was attempting to capture the civilian resource base of the HSM by terrorizing Lakwena ’ s supporters into submission . Despite continued conflicts with other rebel groups , the HSM began an offensive in August 1987 with the objective of retaking Kampala and initiating a paradise on earth . By November 1987 , it had extended its forces far into regions where it had no popular support . After suffering a series of defeats , the shaken HSM was decisively defeated fifty miles from Kampala in a forest battle in which the NRA used overwhelming artillery support . The Holy Spirit Movement left in its wake a number of smaller rebel groups that mimicked its chiliastic message ( The doctrine stating that Jesus will reign on earth for 1 , 000 years ) . Most of these groups soon fell into banditry , disbanded as members drifted away , or were defeated by government forces or other rebel groups . However , one of these groups eventually became the Lord ' s Resistance Army , which operated in Acholiland until 2008 .