Africa-Press – Uganda. Government has started verifying those who lost their cattle during the Joseph Kony insurgency and Karimojong cattle raids in Budaka District with a view of compensating them.
The war claimants under their umbrella association, Bugwere War Victims Claimants Association, have been waiting for the compensation for the last 30 years. A team of five members from the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) headed by Lt Col Winston Katungi Nuwagaba, kicked off the verification exercise at the weekend.
The exercise started in the sub-counties of Iki-Iki, Kamonkoli, Mugiti,Kameruka, and Naboa in Budaka District before it rolled to Pallisa, Butebo and Kibuku districts. “We are trying to verify and come up with a list of the genuine beneficiaries,” Lt Col Katungi said. This comes after victims through their lawyers, A-O Advocates, filed a notice of intention to sue on February 25.
The claimants say they suffered plunder and loot under the hands of agents of the Uganda government between 1987 and 1988 under the command of then Brig Matayo Kyaligonza. The lawyer representing the claimants, Mr Jimmy Mokile, said 2,241 affected families were deprived of their animals totaling 11,149. “Though they have made several reminders to the President, who had promised that the government would compensate the loss suffered by the Bagwere people, none has been honored to date,” he said.
Mr Mokile added that they are also intending to file fresh claims on what happened during the insurgency because many people were killed, raped but the victims have never been compensated. Mr Zurin Mukatabala, the coordinator of Bugwere War victims claimants association said they were happy that the government had sent a team to carry out verification exercises.
“But we are yet to value lost lives and injuries during the course of the insurgency. A lot of nasty incidents happened inculding killings, raping, which the government should put into consideration,” Mr Mukatabala said. He explained that when the NRM government took power in 1986, people’s animals were looted and lives lost but to their surprise the government seemed unbothered. “These stolen animals were seen being ferried by buses, agricultural trucks, and army trucks. They took the animals to army institutions,”Mr Mutakabala said.
Mr Dauson Kauta, the chairperson of the association, said they have were unhappy because of the delay. “We felt cheated because other regions affected by the same insurgency have been compensated already.We hope, as the verification has started, the government officials should speed up the process and compensate us,” Mr Kauta said. Mr Gideon Bomma, another victim, said he lost more than 80 cattle during the insurgency.
“We now ask the government to expedite the process so that we can be compensated ,” he said. Another affected person, Mr Abby Musene Lyadda, said his animals were looted during the insurgency on the night of April 6, 1987. “We managed to identify our animals at Bugema army barracks but surprisingly the army were harsh on us as,” Mr Lyadda said. Mr Lyadda said they are still languishing in poverty because of the insurgencies which sank the sub-region into poverty and hopelessness.
