The 1,102 members under their umbrella organization West Nile Kony War Victims Association lost money, merchandise and motor vehicles among other property between 1992 and 1997 during the LRA insurgency in northern Uganda.
The Lord Resistance Army war victims in West Nile have renewed
their demand for compensation.
The 1,102 members under their umbrella organization West Nile Kony War Victims Association lost money, merchandise and motor
vehicles among other property between 1992 and 1997 during the LRA insurgency
in northern Uganda.
Over 500 of the war victims in a meeting in Onduparaka
on Saturday resolved that after 20 years of seeking compensation from the
government all in vain, they will vote against all NRM candidates until they
are paid.
The members are demanding 99 Billion Shillings for which
several efforts including Court action have been made since 1996 to date but to
no success.
Sam Ondoma of Alaka and Company advocates and Legal
Advisor to the Kony War Victims said the members have given them authority to
meet the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Defense and Veteran Affairs.
//Cue in; In October last year…...
Cue out; … plight
of our people,”//
Alex Matua, the Chairman West Nile Kony War Victims
Association said since 1996 when they started the compensation claim process,
he has received numerous threats to his life to abandon the move the demands.
//Cue in; majority of people…
Cue out; … we reach voting time,”//
Beatrice Avutiru 50 years old who lost her
two-year-old baby to a gunshot wound and sustained a broken arm, said she lost over 60 million Shillings when they were attacked in their bus and
abducted by LRA rebels for three days before escaping from their captivity.
//Cue in; it was like 15 miles…
Cue out; … there outside,”//
Some of the victims of the LRA insurgency in West Nile
have vowed to go on hunger strikes and disrupt any government activity in the
region if the government does not heed their demand.
//Cue in; No compensation no…
Cue out; … before we die,”//
On April 12th 2023 a team of seven members
of the War claimants met President Museveni at the State Lodge in Anyafio but were
directed to Dr Kenneth Omona the then Personal Secretary to President Museveni to write to the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Defense and Veteran
Affairs to ensure payment process is started but this has never yielded any
positive results.
Earlier in 2020, Matua with the help of Deputy Director ESO General Taban Amin spoke
directly to President Museveni who requested the members to submit all their
details to his office but no response has been received.
Nile Coach Bus Company in 2023 demanded compensation of 1 Billion Shillings for three of their Buses which were burned by the
LRA rebels while plying the Arua-Kampala route between Pakwach and Karuma, the
state is yet to respond to their demand.
