Parliament has adopted the report of the Government Assurance and Implementation Committee on the long-awaited war compensation programme.
Much as adoption of the report clears the way for the payment of outstanding claims, it also tickled Members of Parliament (MPs) into tabling fresh demands for the inclusion of more areas such as West Nile, Sebei, Bukedi, and Busoga to benefit from the compensation.
During the plenary session on Wednesday, 29 January 2025, the Deputy Attorney General, Hon. Jackson Kafuuzi, also presented a report to Parliament detailing the status of the compensation programme, which currently covers Acholi, Lango, and Teso sub-regions.
The total outstanding liability for verified claims stood at Shs472.72 billion with Shs139.49 billion so far released and Shs136.24 billion paid out to claimants in Acholi, Lango, and Teso sub-regions.
Hon. Isaac Otimgiw, the MP for Padyere County, decried the fact that West Nile had been left out despite suffering heavy losses during past conflicts. “They gathered themselves, but only to arrive there and be told that it was a mistake. After waiting for over 10 years, no justice has been done,” Otimgiw lamented.
He pleaded with government to ensure equitable distribution of compensation funds across all affected parties. His sentiments were echoed by Hon. Lilian Paparu, the Arua District Woman MP, who expressed disappointment that the Attorney General’s mandate only covered three regions.
“We are disappointed because he said their mandate is only for the three regions. I wanted to seek clarity from the Attorney General’s Office on whether the people of West Nile will be compensated,” Paparu stated.
Hon. John Amos Okot, the MP for Agago North County, accused government of unfair practices in the compensation process. He lamented that many claimants were dying without receiving their payments.
“Let it be something real. We know how animals got lost – some went to rebels, others were destroyed by government soldiers, and some were stolen by Karimojong warriors. Until when shall we come to an end with this? We want compensation to be real, not just accountability on paper,” Okot said.
Similarly, Hon. Fadil Twalla, the MP for Tingey County, highlighted disparities in the distribution of compensation. He noted that while some people in Teso had received partial compensation, those in the Sebei region had been completely left out despite suffering the same losses during the war.
Hon. Fox Odoi-Oywelowo the West Budama North East MP, criticised the current approach to compensation, arguing that Uganda lacks a clear policy on war reparations.
He described the payments being made as mere ex-gratia, which he said were given as a favour rather than a right.
“The Holy Spirit Movement of Alice Lakwena destabilised the people of Bukedi. We lost lives, we lost property, and sub-counties were raided. Every time the matter of compensation comes up, Bukedi is not mentioned. Why should the people of Bukedi be excluded from this planning process?” Odoi-Oywelowo questioned. He further emphasised that for compensation to be meaningful, it must be time-sensitive and properly structured to address the needs of all affected regions.
Hon. Loy Katali, the Jinja District Woman MP, argued that Busoga should also be considered for compensation, as the Lakwena war ended in the region.
She also raised concerns about instances where compensation was deposited into people’s bank accounts, only for them to find the money withdrawn under unclear circumstances.
Similarly, Hon. Christine Kaaya (NUP, District Woman Representative for Kiboga) noted that Luweero, a region instrumental in bringing the current government to power, had never been compensated.
“Can we see people from war-ravaged areas benefiting more from State House scholarships? Can we see our parishes benefiting from the Parish Development Model? Let’s streamline this compensation in line with the 10-point programme,” Kaaya urged.
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa acknowledged the growing concerns and guided that Parliament’s committee had recommended the establishment of a comprehensive compensation policy.
Hon. Sharon Laker, the Gulu District Woman MP, noted that in her district and other parts of northern Uganda, people were receiving just Shs400,000, equivalent to a few kilogrammes of beef. She urged that compensation be handled on a case-by-case basis.
“People are crying and asking if they are just being undermined. The Attorney General needs to answer this; some people have got fractions of a cow,” she said.
Although the committee report recommended a forensic audit of the compensation process, the presiding officer guided that the Auditor General should oversee any such audit due to the high costs involved.
Following pleas from Kafuuzi to lawmakers that payments should continue, the Deputy Speaker advised the compensation team to proceed with caution.
