President Museveni has given a one-month deadline for the audit and verification of cattle compensation recipients and pending claimants in Northern Uganda, as part of a broader effort to streamline rehabilitation for families affected by past insurgencies.
The directive was announced during a meeting with leaders from the Acholi sub-region in Gulu District, focusing on the progress of the cattle compensation initiative.
The compensation program, launched in 2022, addresses losses from the 1970s insurgencies and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) war, which devastated the Lango, Teso, and Acholi sub-regions. Over 28,000 claimants have received payments, with 16,000 more awaiting funds.
However, an additional 12,000 claimants have emerged, prompting Museveni to call for transparency.
“We give ourselves one month to study that,” he said, proposing that lists of paid and verified claimants be published in every sub-county for public scrutiny.
“Let us all see the 4,000 who were paid in Acholi and how much they were paid, and also the 12,000 who are not yet paid but approved, so that we know these ones are not false claimants.”
Museveni criticized the initial compensation approach, noting that it exposed beneficiaries to opportunists and corruption. “We have already spent Shs150 billion supposed to have gone to 28,000 people. They now need another Shs500 billion. If we have that money, should we do it this way or another way?” he questioned.
He redefined the initiative as a rehabilitation scheme rather than mere compensation, emphasizing the universal impact of the wars. “In other parts of the world, you cannot compensate for war or natural disasters like earthquakes,” he added.
The president also urged Acholi leaders to reject sectarian politics, warning that tribal or religious divisions undermine national development.
He further called for prioritizing free education in government schools.
“The people blocking the future of our children are the ones refusing to implement UPE,” he said.
The minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Norbert Mao, highlighted how past “messy politics” led to livestock losses and food insecurity in Acholi, forcing communities to sell food reserves.
He said there were still some issues with the compensation process.
“When you told the claimants to accept to solve the issue outside court, the lawyers and the thieves came in and caused more confusion,” he said.
Dr. Kenneth Omona, minister of State for Northern Uganda, praised Museveni’s wealth creation initiatives, which he said have transformed lives across the region.
Kilak North MP, Anthony Akol, thanked the president for restoring peace and implementing programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga, which have helped fight poverty. He also noted that 19,386 cattle belonging to the Balaalo have been removed from Acholi following Museveni’s Executive Order, though some non-compliance persists.
The Paramount Chief of Acholi, Rwot David Onen Acana II, revealed that approximately Shs3.8 trillion has been invested in Northern Uganda’s rehabilitation, but corruption and weak governance have limited its impact.
He emphasized ongoing community mobilization efforts to boost economic production, address harmful cultural practices, and promote the Acholi language.
Leaders called for a holistic rehabilitation approach, including medical treatment for war victims beyond cattle compensation.
