The government has resolved to have all the war debt claimants in north and north- eastern Uganda undergo a fresh verification exercise in order to ascertain what they lost during the war.
War claimants are demanding for over 2 trillion shillings from the government in compensation of their lost property and animals.
This was resolved during a meeting chaired by President Yoweri Museveni while meeting leaders from Acholi, Lango, Teso and West Nile sub regions at State House in Entebbe early this month.
According to Mr Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, the District LCV Chairperson for Gulu who attended the meeting, “Government wants to ascertain the number of the war claimants as well as the number of heads of cattle which have not been compensated for before funs can be released compensation.”
He noted with the confusion that rocked claimants’ associations especially in Acholi sub region, it is important that genuine beneficiaries be identified before payments are made into their bank accounts.
In February this year, Justice John Eudes Keitirima, the High Court Judge ordered the leaders of Acholi War Debt Claimants Association to account for Shs7.1 billion advanced to them by the government in compensation for the loss of property during the National Resistance Army (NRA) liberation war.
In his ruling at Gulu High Court circuit, Justice Keitirima said the executive members of the association should explain how the monies were used.
The High Court Judge noted that the purpose of accountability is to avoid double payments and promote transparency.
While issuing the 12 page ruling, the judge also ordered that District leaders including the RDCs, LCV’s, Members of Parliament and the Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) be involved in the verification process.
The judge also ordered the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs to directly supervise the process.
Mr Andrew Moses Awany, the acting Resident District Commissioner (RDC) for Gulu revealed that already Shs300 million has been set aside by the government for the verification exercise.
Awany says, “A team from Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs will work with the District leaders in the respective districts to verify the names.”
Mr Henry Oluka, the Principal State Attorney who led a verification team in the last exercise said the audit report forwarded by Acholi War Debt Claimants Association to the office of Attorney General raises a lot of questions of how the money was paid to some of the beneficiaries.
Oluka adds that the Office of the Auditor General has also raised the same to that effect on how the compensation money was disbursed.
He revealed that against that background, the Auditor General has ordered for an audit and government was also forced to withhold Shs5 billion that was meant to clear some of the beneficiaries.
Oluka says the Executive Members have since then failed to submit proper accountability.
