This is a significant reduction from the initial request of 500 billion Shillings which had been requested to cover payments to 79,084 veterans.
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Minister Huda Oleru engaging UPDF Spokesperson Bring Felix Kulayigye
The Ministry of Defence needs an allocation of 91 billion Shillings to clear a backlog of 11,000 army veterans whose pension and gratuity payments have not been paid.
This is a significant reduction from the initial request of 500 billion Shillings which had been requested to cover payments to 79,084 veterans. But State Minister for Veteran Affairs Huda Oleru told journalists at the Defense Ministry headquarters in Mbuya that the lists were verified and edited to remove veterans from previous governments and world wars.
According to Oleru, the field verification exercise has helped them come up with 25,000 names of veterans, 14,000 of who have already been paid. The army spends 5.2 billion Shillings every month to clear the pension and gratuity arrears of the army veterans.
As NRM prepares to mark the liberation day in Kakumiro district tomorrow, Oleru said veterans who might be missing on the lists should not lose hope because the teams will be going back to the field to verify more deserving ex-fighters.
Brig Felix Kulayigye who is the defence and army spokesperson said no veteran should expect to be awarded tomorrow because they are not part of the medals' arrangements under the National Resistance Movement Day celebrations.
Brig Kulayigye said ex-soldiers should always expect to be awarded if they are eligible for Tarehe Sita celebrations every year. This, Brig Kulayigye, said is a decision that was reached by the UPDF chancery.
Senior Staff Reporter
Joseph Kato is currently a Master's candidate at Makerere University. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Mass Communication from Kampala International University, a Diploma in Journalism and he's also a graduate in Guidance and Counseling.
