Pader District War Debt Claimants Decry Disparities in Compensation

Members of the Acholi War Debt Claimants’ Association in Pader District are demanding fair compensation for properties lost during the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency. Claimants allege significant disparities in payments, with some receiving multiple compensations while others remain uncompensated years after filing their claims. 

Francis Ochitti, Pader District’s focal person for compensation, acknowledged irregularities in the process. He revealed that while some beneficiaries have received payments up to three times, others are yet to receive any compensation. 

Ochitti said that his office is not responsible for the discrepancies, as it only submits names to the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, which works with the Ministry of Finance to process payments. He noted that six rounds of payments have been made since May 2022, with the most recent occurring on December 27, 2024. Of the 1,890 files submitted for compensation, 900 claimants have been partially paid, leaving another 900 unresolved. 

Ochitti denied allegations that his office influences payments and attributed the variations to differences in the number of livestock claimants declared for compensation. He explained that a rigorous verification process is conducted from the village level to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). 

He urged claimants to remain calm, keep their accounts active, and trust the ongoing compensation process, saying, "We understand the frustrations, but the process is being handled according to the records we have. I encourage everyone to be patient as we finalize the remaining payments." 

However, Julius Oleke, the Pader District coordinator for beneficiaries, expressed dissatisfaction with the process, stating, "We are not aware of any payments being made to the claimants here in Pader. Many of our members remain uncompensated, and local officials have even tried to shut down our office."

Oleke also said that 1,499 files submitted to the Deputy Attorney General’s office mysteriously disappeared, leaving only 3,422 records. He called on the government to allow AWDC to operate independently while verifying its data. 

Santa Layet, one of the claimants from Olwor-North village, Acoro Parish who lost 30 cows, 20 goats, and 10 sheep, expressed her frustration, saying, "It is heartbreaking to watch others receive payments while we continue to wait. My father’s property was taken, and we have waited patiently for justice, but the process feels unfair. Compensation should be based on the truth, not on who knows who." 

Knighty Akwero from Olwo-North echoed these concerns, explaining her family’s loss of 20 cows, 10 goats, and 8 sheep. "We suffered greatly during the war, and even now, the pain remains because we have not been compensated. The government must fix this process and pay us what we deserve," she said. 

Founded in 2005, the Acholi War Debt Claimants seek reparations for losses suffered during the insurgency in northern Uganda. The group also advocates for community rehabilitation, though progress in achieving these goals has been slow and fraught with challenges.