Uganda Govt earmarks sh26b to compensate UNRF ex-combatants

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The National Resistance Movement (NRM) government, under President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, has pledged commitment to fully compensate ex-combatants from West Nile rebel groups.

The two groups include the Uganda National Rescue Front I of the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Gen. Moses Ali, and the Uganda National Rescue Front II led by Maj. Gen. Ali Bamuze and the West Nile Bank Front (WNBF).

Museveni, who launched the compensation payment with sh1b cash pledged to pay sh13b in the next financial year 2025/2026 and sh12b after the West Nile residents have elected NRM in the financial year 2026/2027.

We are committed to paying the sh26b. The government would have paid the whole amount at once, but we are still repairing Nebbi – Arua road network, which is in a very bad state.

So please accept this principle of paying in bits ('Mot-Mot'), he assured a huge gathering on Saturday.

Museveni said on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at Boma Grounds in Yumbe district while commemorating the Peace Day Celebrations of Consolidating almost 23 Years of Peace and Security for Social Economic Transformation in the West Nile region.

“If somebody said that we had forgotten ex-combatants, it is not fair because combatants have children who have been studying in schools and getting medical care in health centres that NRM constructed when it came to power in 1986,” Museveni added.

When we were coming from the bush in Luwero district, we did not find any advanced level school, but we have now managed to create 6 of them and 26 health centres on top of the 6 more which are nearing completion, he observed.

“Let us accept that discipline of ‘one by one makes a bundle’ strategy of development because we started on buying military hardware to equip the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) to be able to keep peace and secure 93,000 square miles of Ugandan borders,” he explained.

At the signing of the peace agreements with these groups, Museveni's government pledged cash peace dividends to the ex-combatants.

Over 9000 ex-combatants from the defunct UNRF II and the West Nile Bank Front (WNBF) have for the last 23 years been waiting for the payment after surrendering their guns before signing a peace agreement on December 24, 2002, which promised money for resettlement and 10 government positions with the commanders retaining their ranks in the UPDF.

State Minister for Defence (Veteran Affairs), Huda Oleru Obason, stated that some of the ex-combatants were paid, while others awaited verification before they could be paid.

Museveni commended the former WNBF Commander, Gen. Ali, for negotiating peace, which ushered in reconciliation after very many years of conflict, which affected the economic transformation of the region.

“I want to thank Gen. Ali and Gen. Salim Saleh (Caleb Akandwanaho) for negotiating to end the conflict, for peace to prevail up to now. Fighting should be the last resort, and that’s why NRM ushered in democracy to elect leaders of your choice every 5 years,” Museveni insisted.