Buikwe, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | More than 900 families, who were displaced from different villages in the present Buikwe district, are demanding compensation for property lost during the 1981-1986 National Resistance Army-NRA bush war.
Through their umbrella body of the National Association of the Displaced People-NADIP, the affected persons who since then sought refuge in Mayuge, Buvuma and Tororo districts say that they started the compensation process in 2007 and a presidential directive was made in 2023, but they are yet to receive their compensation.
Sarah Emojong says that they used to reside in Bufumbe village, in Naja sub-county, in Buikwe district when a group of chanting youths surrounded their homestead, breaking down houses of all settlers in the area.
Peter Wanyama says that they lost their cattle, houses and other household items during the war. Wanyama says that it is only prudent for President Museveni to reign into their compensation as most of their parents are already dead and the line next of kin is old.
Martin Mugyenyi says that a group of enraged youths surrounded his house in the company of armed groups, who beat him up to near death before looting all his household items.
Mugyenyi was later rescued by wellwishers, who rushed him to hospital and he fled off to the current Ntoroko district. Mugyenyi says that he has been facing challenges without any ability to fend for his livelihood.
Fred Obondo, the NADIP chairperson in the districts of Mayuge and Buvuma, respectively says that they have written to all offices and line ministers responsible for addressing their compensation claims, but they are yet to have any positive response.
Obondo says that they appointed two leaders who include; Peter Oyuk and Harriet Nankabirwa to lead drives for their compensation, however not much has materialized on this front.
Obondo also notes that they currently want to meet President Museveni, with hopes of him directly intervening in their matter.
URN has seen a letter from President Museveni, written on June 24th 2023, directing the Ministry of Finance to expedite payment of 58 Billion Shillings to NADIP claimants.
President Museveni also sought the guidance of the Attorney General on how best this compensation process should be handled to the satisfaction of all the claimants.
However, in a letter dated December 29th, 2023 to the President, the Attorney General, Kiryowa Kiwanuka noted that the compensation claims were made without the involvement of the government chief valuer, which raises concern on how the figure of 58 Billion Shillings was generated.
Kiryowa also raised inconsistencies between Oyuk and Nankabirwa, with each of them citing different statistics for both the beneficiaries and compensation funds involved.
He, however, concluded that, since there is no comprehensive data detailing the loss of property and lives being raised by the claimants.
According to Kiwanuka, a uniform figure should be derived to be disbursed to each one of them as a means of comprehensively solving the matter.
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URN