Members of Parliament (MPs) from the sub-regions of Acholi, Lango, and Teso are demanding to know why the government has not fully effected livestock compensation payments for claimants who were awarded by the court.
During the parliamentary plenary session on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, the legislators questioned why claimants who had successfully sued the government of Uganda for the compensation of their animals that were stolen during various insurgencies had not been paid up to now.
MP Jonathan Ebwalu of Soroti city west said that about three different groups from Teso who were awarded compensation by the court have not been paid yet, and most of their members have either died or remained weak.
Ebwalu faulted the Attorney General, Kiwanuka Kiryowa, for not prioritizing claimants’ payments despite repeated appeals.
“I would like the Attorney General to bring a schedule of payments for people of Teso who lost their property and also bring a progress report of payments for not only Teso but also Lango and Acholi sub-regions,” MP Ebwalu said.
Linda Auma, the Lira District Woman representative, said that several claimants from the Lango region were left out during the verification exercise that was conducted by the office of the Attorney General.
Auma noted that the number of claimants awarded by the court is not what the Attorney General considered and approved for compensation.
“In Lango, we have two different groups of claimants, including the 59,000 people under Bashasha and Company Advocates and the 65,000 claimants under Makmot and Company Advocates,” Auma noted.
Auma also informed Parliament that, out of the two groups, only 42,000 claimants were approved for payment by AG, but out of the above number, it was further reduced to 18,000 claimants, something she said was not right.
According to Auma, the two cases contain all the claims from 1986–2006, combining about three insurgents that ravaged the sub-regions.
Jessica Ababiku, the Adjumani district woman representative, said that the issue of cattle compensation has not been seriously handled by the government.
She questioned why the government never voted for any funds for this program for the West Nile and Madi sub-regions.
Ababiku noted that leaders from the affected regions are under fire for the government’s failure to pay claimants.
AG Kiryowa told parliament that he can only pay what has been allocated by the government, adding that they will meet with legislators from the affected areas to find immediate solutions.
“I will meet the MPS for Teso, Lango, and Acholi and go through the issues of compensations that are in my office. We can only pay for what is made available,” AG Kiwanuka said.
Lukia Isanga Nakadama, the 3rd Deputy Prime Minister, said that the matter will be discussed in cabinet to allow the government to offer solutions.
In the last financial year, the government kicked off the ex-gratia payment of some selected complainants across the three sub-regions, where the majority received not more than one million shillings.
