With payments expected to be effected beginning October, Kafuuzi told claimants that Government considered to pay uniformly a sum of one million shillings for each cow to each of the claimants in Acholi, Lango and Teso sub regions.
Acholi leaders and war claimants meeting officials from the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs at Bomah Hotel in Gulu City on Wednesday - Photo by Dominic Ochola
Acholi
War Debts Claimants will be compensated one million up from 600,000 Shillings for each head of cattle lost in a revised rate pronounced by the Deputy Attorney General Jackson Kafuuzi on
Wednesday.
Government has so far verified a total of 16, 946 claimants in Acholi. Of the number, Gulu combined with Omoro District tops the list with 4, 927 claimants, followed by Agago 3,393; Nwoya 1,995, Kitgum 1,983, Amuru 1,470, and Lamwo 1,408.
This
follows a protracted consultation meeting between the claimants, Acholi leaders,
and officials from the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs led by
the Attorney General, aiming at harmonizing the war claims.
The
development comes after Government through the Attorney General’s Office released
150 billion to compensate the claimants who lost their livestock during insurgencies
in Acholi, Lango and Teso sub-regions with each to receive 50 billion Shillings for the
next three years.
With
payments expected to be effected beginning October, Kafuuzi told claimants that
Government considered to pay uniformly a sum of one million shillings for each
cow to each of the claimants in Acholi, Lango and Teso sub regions.
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Abalo
Otim Atwoma, a resident of Payuta village in Paduny Parish, Awach Sub-County in
Gulu District who lost 128 herds of livestock in 1988 says the revised rate is
still disproportionate, saying ever since he began following on his claims, he
has only received 3.7 million for four cattle.
The
Secretary of the claimants, Dr Freddy Oyat, raised concerns over the unexplained
reduction of the claimants on the list. He said associations submitted in the Attorney
General’s office 23,000 names but only 16,946 names returned leaving unanswered
questions about 6,054 others.
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The
region’s Members of Parliament led by Anthony Akol, the Kilak North MP under
the Acholi Parliamentary Association – APG also demanded that the Ministry suspends issuance of Tax Identification Numbers and use of data card to validate
claimants who are causing unnecessary anxieties.
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Jet Tumwebaze of Kampala Associated Advocates –
KAA, and a lead Counsel for claimants criticized the Attorney General’s
office for slowing down the war claims through introducing unnecessary and
bureaucratic process.
Matters of the war claims have dragged on since
2003, with Government having released billions of shillings that were corruptly handled.
Early this year, Government disbursed 10 Billion
Shillings that was shared between Acholi, Teso, Lango and Karamoja sub-regions.
Ochola's journalism career begun from Radio King 90.2 FM in Gulu around 2009, and Radio Rupiny 95.7 Fm under Vision Group in 2012. He also reported for Mighty Fire 91.5 Fm, Kitgum in 2015 before joining Wizarts Foundation in 2017.
He has been reporting for Uganda Radio Network (URN) since 2017 before being posted as Bureau Chief Kitgum, and latr Gulu between 2018 - 2021. Currently, he reports from Parliament.