Uganda in advanced stages of negotiations with DRC in plunder case

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT  |  Uganda is in final stages of negotiating with Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) over the 10 billion dollars plunder case.

In 2005, the United Nation’s International Court of Justice ruled that Uganda violated the sovereignty of the Democratic Republic of Congo and is responsible for human rights abuses in the country committed from August 1997 to June 2003. The court also found that Ugandan soldiers plundered Congo’s natural resources and must pay appropriate compensation to DRC. 

Meeting with the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee on Thursday, the Attorney General William Byaruhanga said that they needed 24.3 Billion shillings for financing of Uganda’s Defense at the International Court of Justice.

He says that although the court had asked Uganda and the DRC to settle the matter out of court, DRC proposed 23 billion US Dollars which was too much for Uganda.

Byaruhanga says that Uganda has however offered 150 million dollars, though it hasn’t been agreed yet by DRC.

According to Byaruhanga, Uganda stands a big risk if the matter goes back to court as they could make an extravagant award.

Byaruhanga says Uganda and DRC are expected to come to a conclusion on the matter in March.   

However, committee chairperson Jacob Oboth Oboth questioned if the money they are seeking is still required following successful on-going negotiations.

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