NRM presidential candidate (president) Yoweri Kaguta T. Museveni addressing his supporters in Lango recently. Courtesy photo.
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Last Updated on: 25th November 2020, 11:17 pm
Vital quotes:
- “Lango war claim is now official matter for government of Uganda to address but not to be taken as an election gift or presidential pledge,” Julius Odwee, retired deputy IGP.
- “On issues of Lango, we are going to increase the cattle compensation budget to Shs50 billion per sub-region (plus Acholi and Teso) so that we settle once and for all,” president Museveni while campaigning in Lango, weeks ago.
- “Does this money include money for verification of the Teso claimants,” MP Elijah Okupa on shs30b supplementary budget for cattle.
Lira—24 November 2020: Majority of persons who lost their cattle during war in Northern and Eastern Uganda are yet to be compensated. Government has for the past years been promising to pay claimants—and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has often talked about this “cattle matter” during his political campaigns to seek re-election.
In 2017, the president, while speaking at Lira Golf Course after the launch of Lango Lands Zonal Office in Lira City (a municipality at that time), halted cattle compensation for Lango claimants.
The president’s decision was after fake claimants’ identities were discovered by security. These claimants, where under Lango War Debt Claimants’’ Association with more than 60,000 membership.
Whereas money was released by government following the Lira High Court judgement against her in 2014, Museveni told Lango he heard that money released by government never reached intended beneficiaries.
In 2014, Lira High Court ordered government to pay Uganda shillings 2.9 trillion to compensate Lango war claimants whose cattle were stolen.
The money was to be released annually, and apart from shs67 billion released, there has been no more released.
Campaigning in Lango last month, NRM presidential candidate—also the incumbent president said his government would allocate shs50b for Lango. The president also pledged the same amount for Acholi and Teso claimants.
This promise has caused anxiety amongst some Lango elders and politicians.
“I read something about cattle compensation being stated by the President and which resulted into serious discussions,’ Mr Julius Odwee, the former deputy IGP, and a clan leader, said.
Mr Odwee went on to issue a statement. Below, he wrote:
“To me, I think that you need correct facts about what to say.”
“This is a matter that was resolved by Court in 2014 and concluded as follows in a judgement by Justice SIMON BYABAKAMA MUGENYI.”
Total loses:
1) Lango people who lost were 69,000
2) Cattle lost were 1,100,055
3) Goats, sheep and pigs were 796,377.
Decision of court judgement for compensation were as follows:
1) Each goat and sheep to be UGX 150,000
2) Each pig to be UGX 250,000
3) Each cow to be UGX 900,000
4) Overall cost to be paid to Lango claimants was UGX 1.9 trillion.
5) That for all the disturbance and expenses which every individual Lango claimants met, would be paid UGX 5,000,000
6) And that if there would be a delay in making payment, a 25℅ interest would be levied.
“This is the position of what should be followed or discussed or be responded to by the government of Uganda.”
“But I was very much surprised to hear yesterday that HE the President while campaigning in Lira informed Lango people that he was going to pay only UGX 50 billion.”
“I think that the president doesn’t know what he is saying. In the first place the UGX 50 billion is just 0.26℅ of the total cost even without including the individual 5 million and interests.”
“In January 2019, the president talked about this compensation while in Gulu where he said the money to pay Lango claimants was diverted to do urgent development matters.”
“So let us discuss this matter to the conclusion and let government commit the payments in a budget framework of 2021/2022 like all other debts. Lango war claim is now official matter for government of Uganda to address but not to be taken as an election gift or presidential pledge.”
“If that money is not there, the handshake of 50 billion might cost him the elections.”
Thank you.
AGANALAM MITO INEN IWANGI.
Julius Odwe
Gov’t seeks shs30b for cattle compensation
Last month, Finance State Minister David Bahati tabled before parliament a supplementary budget schedule one and two in which it seeks shs30b to compensate cattle claimants in Lango, Acholi and Teso sub-regions.
“Parliament deferred the payment on ground that it was not yet clear on who was to be paid because there was no list of beneficiaries,” state-owned media, New Vision reported.
The same newspaper reported that whereas Acholi MPs and those from Lango said the verification has already been done, in Teso, MP Elijah Okupa informed the House that verification is yet to be done.
“Court ordered that the claimants be verified within six months, but to date, the Attorney General has not done that. It is two years now. Does this money include money for verification of the Teso claimants,” he asked, as quoted by New Vision.
Museveni challenged
The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party president also the 2021 presidential candidate, Patrick Oboi Amuriat (POA) has challenged NRM’s candidate Museveni for his “talks” of compensating Lango cattle claimants.
According to POA, in every election, Museveni promises to the people of Lango about cattle compensation, telling people of Lango to forget about being compensated if they vote Museveni again in 2021.
Another presidential candidate, Kyagulanyi Robert Ssentamu aka Bobi Wine, has promised to quicken Lango cattle compensation if elected president.
