Luwero veterans receive millions

By Conan Businge and Frederick Kiwanuka
in Semuto

THE 103-year-old Erivania Mugwanya was among the 2,000 veterans who received their a cash reward for their contribution to the five-year Luweero bush war which brought the then National Resistance Army into power.

Mugwanya of Wabikokoma in Ssemuto supplied food and spied for the guerrilla fighters, having joined the forces in 1981. She lived near Luta barracks and would carry food daily on her head to the barracks.

The amounts ranged from sh1.5m to sh5m, depending on a member’s role in the war.

The Cabinet early this year resolved to reward veterans.

The first batch of payments went to 1,865 Luweero Triangle veterans, aged between 58 and 103 years.

The beneficiaries played various roles such as being clandestine residence councils, guides, militia, and food suppliers.

Many attended the function on drip and wheelchairs because of their advanced age and used walking sticks and site guides to get to the function on Monday.

The function was presided over by President Yoweri Museveni in Ssemuto, Nakaseke district. Museveni, who started with 26 fighters, took over government on January 26, 1986, five years after he launched the armed struggle against the then president, Milton Obote.

Luweero, Nakaseke, Kiboga, Mubende, Mukono, Mpigi, Kibaale and Masaka are some of the districts that form the Luweero Triangle.

The region bore the brunt of the war with

many testimonies of massacres, torture and looting. “This is the time to turn to the men and women who sacrificed their all to the liberation of this country,” Museveni said during the ceremony. “There is no better time to reward you than this.”

State minister for Luweero Triangle Nyombi Thembo said non-veterans in the region would benefit from a project, the Luweero-Rwenzori Development Programme, which starts next year.

Under the investment, polytechnics, small-scale industries and other infrastructural developments will be set up.

Museveni handed over three dummy cheques to Anah Nakampi, 42, Livingstone Muyingo and Krizestom Ssembajjwe.

Thousands of veterans and residents baked in the scorching sun for about seven hours waiting for the President.

The President defended the delay to reward the veterans, saying there were “more urgent national needs to handle”.

“We had to help the economy recover, which improves our tax collections and we can ably offer services to our citizens. In 1986, we were depending on donors,” Museveni added.

He said Obote’s UPC government looked after its own in the face of scarcity of basic needs. “I could not do that,” Museveni said. “This would eliminate us politically if I had looked at veterans alone. I wanted to share with all Ugandans.” The President said he wanted to avoid jealousy from other people. “How do you expect someone from Gulu to complain with all the support we have put in the area? All Ugandans should be treated equally.”

Museveni thanked the veterans for their patience and sacrifice and promised to reward the families of the fallen ones. “We should not leave them out. They deserve the reward!”

The chief of the veterans, Perezi, thanked Museveni for the cash but also urged him to defend veterans against eviction from their land.

“So many people are being evicted,” he said. “They attempt to kill us when we intervene. The Police are not well facilitated to help us.”

Museveni, in response, said the Land Amendment Bill would be the first to be tabled when Parliament resumes next year. The Bill seeks to stop illegal eviction of tenants.

The gathering was kept happy by Ssemakula, who used to entertain the fighters in the bush. His performers relived the rough period through their dirty and tattered clothes and heavy loads on their heads.

Two women who attempted to meet the President without permission were arrested by the Presidential Protection Unit.

One of them, Sylvia Kapeeka, argued: “I love the President so much. I can never harm him. I’m ready to be killed for my love for him.”