The surviving family members of Local Council (LC) officials who were killed by Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels during the insurgency in northern Uganda are demanding for compensation from the government.
Between 1987 and 2004, the ICC indicted Joseph Kony and his fighters deliberately targeted the LC officials who were by then known as Resistance Councils (RCs) accusing them of having links with the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government.
Some of them were gruesomely murdered on grounds that they are NRA (now UPDF) collaborators and in a bid to destroy the intelligence information flow, they killed them.
Ms Evelyne Ajok, 42, the surviving daughter of Mr Santo Otula, says her dad was brutality killed in broad day light by rebels as they watched helplessly.
Ajok explained after Otula was shot and killed, her nine other siblings were forced to drop out of school since their mother was unable to pay their school fees.
Mr Charles Okot, 43, a son to another killed LC official Maurensio Odwar, the former area LC I Chairman for Gwengdiya village in Awach sub county, Gulu district says that, “Despite the danger at the time, my father sacrificed his life to help the community.”
Okot has since stepped the shoes of his father to become the village Chairman.
“After the death of my father, I dropped out in Senior 2 while at Sir Samuel Baker School and that ended my dreams of becoming an accountant.”
Okot demanded that the government should recognise the huge contributions made by his father and others who were killed while in service.
Another survivor Mr Richard Kilama who was abducted after his father Mr Panga Odong was mutilated with a machete by the rebels says life has never been the same since then.
Odong, the former LCII Chairman Paibona parish in Awach Sub County, was killed with his LC I Chairman Mr Samuel Orub while holding a dialogue between their clan members.
Now his son, Kilama says the bravery of his father made it risky for the whole family since they became a subject of manhunt by the rebels.
He says government should support his family with livestock and low cost housing.
Mr Francis Odong, the LC I Chairperson Oguru village also in Awach Sub County noted that those who were killed worked during a very difficult period of time.
Odong asked the government to appreciate them by supporting the surviving members of their families since majority are still in deep pains after losing mostly bread winners in the hands of the rebels.
Among their demands is education sponsorship for their children, low cost housing and land for resettlement.
Gulu District Local Government officials say some of the families of slain local council officials who were killed during the LRA led insurgency will be selected to benefit under the current central government restocking program.
The restocking program is being implemented as part of the Peace Recovery and Development Plan (PRDP).
Mr Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, the Gulu District LCV Chairman revealed that the local government is in talks with the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) so that the affected families benefit.
According to Mapenduzi, at least 47 heads of cattle will be the secured in the second phase of the program.
“Each family will receive at least a cow in livelihood support but should not be considered as part of compensation for their loss,” He said.
In September last year, Mr Richard Todwong, the NRM deputy Secretary General announced that there are plans that Local Council officials who were killed during the insurgency will be fully compensated.
Todwong, the former Minister without Portfolio In charge of Political Mobilisation says, “Government is aware of killings and the loss the surviving families suffered during the war and will do everything possible to see that the members of the deceased receive some kind of support.”
However, he went short of specifying the kind of support and when it would be given.
