Lango leaders ask govt to fulfil compensation pledges
Members of Lango War Claimants Association interact with their lawyer, Adams Makmot Kibwanga in Lira City in July 2014. Some of these people have died before getting their compensation. PHOTO/BILL OKETCH
What you need to know:
- Ms Elizabeth Akullo Delyon, the general secretary of Lawcas, said people waited more than 10 years to receive their compensation in vain and that more than 500 claimants have since died.
Lango leaders have asked the government to speed up compensation of people who lost livestock during the insurgency in northern Uganda, highlighting that time is not on the claimants’ side.
Official statistics from Lango War Claimants Association (Lawcas) highlight that more than 500 people have died waiting for the government to compensate them.
Mr Daniel Ojok Aruca, the LC3 chairman of Barjobi Town Council in Otuke District, at the weekend said if the government continues delaying to compensate people, the majority of them would die before their claims are processed.
Mr Jimmy Akena Obote, the Member of Parliament for Lira City East Division, earlier said for the last 17 years he has been in Parliament, he has been tasking the government to compensate Lango for the cattle they lost during the two-decade conflict but to no avail.
“I cannot keep crying ‘dok a Lango’ (Lango cattle) this year, dok a Lango next year, dok a Lango the year after and dok a Lango pe abino (cattle are not coming),” Mr Akena, the son of former president Milton Obote, also the leader of the opposition Uganda People Congress (UPC party), told a rally in Dokolo Town on January 13.
“Therefore, I have taken a different decision. I know where decisions are made, and know if the decision is there, and the will is there and I know it could be done,” he added.
In 2010, the Lawcas sued the government, demanding Shs1.2 trillion in compensation for livestock lost during the conflict. In 2014, the High Court in Lira ruled in its favour and ordered the government to compensate 69,475 claimants. The court also ordered the government to pay Shs5 million and 25 percent interest to each claimant for general damages.
Justice Simon Byamukama, in his ruling on July 14, 2014, said it was the responsibility of the government to protect the residents and their properties during the conflict, ordering the government to pay the claimants in cash.
Court valued each sheep and goat at Shs150,000, a pig at Shs250,000 and each cow at Shs900,000.
Ms Elizabeth Akullo Delyon, the general secretary of Lawcas, said people waited more than 10 years to receive their compensation in vain and that more than 500 claimants have since died.
“Actually, some people received part of their compensation but their accounts were closed before they could withdraw the money,” she said.
Data obtained from Lawcas’ coordinators showed that 233 people had died in Kwania District alone without receiving the redress they had applied for.
In Lira District, 20 claimants died in Barr Sub-county. The victims have been identified as Peter Nek, Julio Okwir, Ismael Abwongo, Cypriano Ower, Beatrice Amuge, Joyce Adongo Nek, Martin Owada, Kolario Orima, Nelson Akota and Richard Ogwang, all of Ayira Parish. Others are Joyce Akullo, Resenia Opio Ogwal, Paul Obira Okeng, Peter Oming, Abisiloma Okwir, Kuranimo Odong, John Omara, Peter Odyang, Kolonario Odongo and Benjamin Lemo, all in Ober Parish in Barr Sub-county.
Four of the six plaintiffs’ representatives; Johnson Delyon, John Atia Otim, Samuel Tariliba and Leo Ocen, who represented 69,473 other war claimants in court under Lawcas, are also no more. Relatives confirmed they died due to various ailments before tasting the fruit of their struggle. Mzee Delyon died in 2012, according to her daughter, Ms Elizabeth Akullo. Mr Moses Ogwang Adonyo, the Lawcas regional coordinator, said four of his fellow coordinators passed on.
Mr Saidi Ogwang, a coordinator for war claimants in Oyam District, said 24 of their members died in Acaba Sub-county before receiving the compensation cash.
“We are very concerned as to why the government has delayed to compensate us,” he said.
Mr George Ogweng, 68, a resident of Telela Cell, Aloi Town Council in Alebtong District, said he sold his land in pursuit of compensation for six cows looted by Karimojong cattle rustlers in 1986.
Mr Sam Edward Okullu, the Lawcas coordinator for Barr Sub-county in Lira District, said he broke his legs after being knocked by a motorcycle in Lira City while following up the issue of their compensation on November 28, 2023.
Mr Jonathan Ebwalu, the Member of Parliament for Soroti West Division, recently alluded to an order by the Soroti High Court that government must pay compensation to over 3,000 Teso war claimants who lost lives, animals and property between 1986 and 1994 and the 2003 LRA incursion.
“In the October 2023 court ruling, the court gave the government six months within which to pay the people of Teso but nothing has been paid up to now. Government should tell us what plans they have to compensate the people of Teso, Acholi, Lango and West Nile,” said Mr Ebwalu during the plenary sitting chaired by Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa, on April 2.
Ms Linda Auma, Lira District Woman Member of Parliament, made reference to a record presented by the Attorney General of a total of 42,000 claimants under the former Lira Central Division chairman, Mr Moses Ocip, to be compensated in Lango, noting that only 18,000 had been approved.
“We asked the Attorney General why the other 23,000 claimants were not approved but we did not get a clear answer,” the legislator said.
Government response
The Attorney General, Mr Kiryowa Kiwanuka, committed himself to meet legislators from the affected regions to address their concerns.
He noted that the government has paid out a total of Shs496 billion so far, in compensation claims.
“We are also in the budgeting process and we hope some money will be made available for this purpose and if it is, we will continue to remit money to the persons entitled to it,” said the Attorney General.
Ms Jesca Ababiku, Adjumani District Woman MP, proposed that the meetings with MPs be held on a regional basis to critically analyse issues and take concrete actions.
The Third Deputy Prime Minister and Minister without Portfolio, Ms Rukia Nakadama, promised to present the concerns to the Cabinet, to consider the inclusion of other regions in the quest for compensation.
In September 2022, while appearing before the Government Assurances Committee of Parliament, Deputy Attorney General, Mr Jackson Kafuuzi, said the government at the time required Shs2 trillion to compensate victims of wars and insurgencies in northern and eastern Uganda, West Nile and the Elgon Sub-region.
He told MPs at the time, that by the end of the 2021/2022 financial year, 30,339 out of 38,225 submissions from the districts had been reviewed, and 20,727 of them paid a total sum of Shs50 billion.
