Verification of war claimants in Kitgum kicks off

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The government has embarked on the verification of war claimants in Kitgum district for compensation over the loss of their livestock and properties destroyed during various insurgencies in Northern Uganda.

Kitgum LCV chairperson Jackson Omona says that they have received a team from the office of the Solicitor General that will work jointly with sub-county community development officers and sub-county chiefs to verify the claimants.

According to Omona, the district has a list of 1,463 claimants who were partially paid and some that had not been compensated at all.

Martin Anyalla, a representative of the claimants in Kitgum district says the verification process that starts on Monday will involve a public display of all intended claimants at their respective sub-county and division headquarters. Anyalla explains that the verification process requires that each claimant possesses a letter of recommendation from their area LCI chairperson, a national identity card and letters of administrations for the claimants who died.

He however could not reveal when the compensation claimants will start receiving payments but says once the verification exercise is completed, they will forward the details to the government to process payment for the claimants.

Omona however says each of the claimants will also be expected to open a bank account where the government would make direct payments to the beneficiaries contrary to the previous payment through the association of the group.

Reverend Canon Samuel Obol, a claimant says they are excited about the development.

Last month while campaigning in the Acholi sub-region last month, President Museveni pledged that government had committed 150 Billion Shillings towards compensation of war claimants from Acholi, Teso and Lango sub-regions before the end of the 2020/2021 financial year.

******

URN