Government to compensate Kony war victims before Christmas
War victims listen to their lawyer Alex Bashasha at Mayor’s Garden, Lira Town, on Tuesday. Photo by Bill Oketch
LIRA- Thousands of people who lost livestock during the conflict in northern Uganda are set to get millions of shillings in compensation from the government.
Officials from the Office of the President and the claimants’ lawyer have indicated that the money will be deposited on the beneficiary accounts soon.
Court awarded compensation to more than 100,000 people from Lango sub-region who accused government of failure to protect their lives and property during the two-decade insurgency.
During the hearing of the case in 2009, the plaintiffs argued that “it was government’s responsibility to protect their lives and property which it failed to do.”
Court then ordered the government to compensate the claimants. It valued each sheep and goat at Shs300, 000 while each cattle was valued at Shs900, 000.
Mr Churchill Tutayomba from the President’s office said: “The State is committed to ensuring that the beneficiaries get what is due to them as per the last verification exercise. Other cases that were not handled during the verification will be handled later.”
Mr Tutayomba made the assurance while updating thousands of residents on the status of their compensation at Mayor’s Garden in Lira Town on Tuesday.
President reminded
Former Housing state minister Sam Engola said he had reminded the then presidential candidate Yoweri Museveni of the need to compensate those that lost animals during the insurgency. The Amolatar Resident District Commissioner, Mr Richard Odyero, said the compensation process will be transparent. “We will monitor the banks to ensure that nobody is cheated,” he said.
The Oyam RDC Gillian Akullo said everybody who lost livestock would be compensated. The claimants’ lawyer Alex Bashasha urged his clients to stay calm as they wait for their compensation.
However, many people were disappointed when Mr Bashasha announced that some individuals would be paid before the end of year while others would have to wait a little longer.
