The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Soroti, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Attorney General (AG) of Uganda has assembled a team of senior commanders from the Uganda Peoples’ Defense Force (UPDF) to present a court rebuttal in the Teso War Debt Claimants case at the Soroti High Court.
They are Brig. Gen. Prof. Godard Busingye, the army chief in charge of legal services, Brig. Gen. Fred Semawenge, the commander in charge of Operation Wealth Creation, Brig. Gen. Stephen Mugerwa, and Paul Muzaale, the Undersecretary in the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
These senior commanders will serve as witnesses to defend the government in the cattle compensation case of Oluka and Others on May 25, 2023. The Teso War Debt Claimants had returned to court after the government launched a compensation program, arguing that the program did not adequately compensate them for their losses.
The Attorney General had initially listed the Permanent Secretary and the Principal Accountant in the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs as witnesses, but the Senior State Attorneys Eric Mukisa and Diana Mudhoola representing the government requested to present witnesses who were reportedly present in Teso during the insurgency.
The court gave the Attorney General until May 16, 2023, to present the evidence or face costs after May 25, 2023. According to Richard Omongole, the lawyer representing the claimants, the senior commanders have already filed their evidence in court, which the claimants’ side believes is an attempt to frustrate the case. Omongole revealed the claimants’ desire for the Teso community to hear the statements made by the generals in court.
“Come hear Generals say UPDF has never taken any single cow from Teso! That they have never killed anyone, and that the government has never agreed to compensate the people of Teso! One even says Arrow boys were recruited after UPDF had finished LRA in Teso, that Arrow boys just came to keep the peace! Wow, another one says they completely disarmed Karamojong and that the people of Teso raid the Karimojong! Teso needs to hear these statements live on May 25, 2023!” Omongole’s media statement reads in part.
The Teso war debt claimants are seeking compensation of 4.4 trillion Ugandan shillings in the case.
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