1979 war veterans petition govt on pay
Jun 06, 2003
VETERANS of the 1979 war that ousted Idi Amin have petitioned government over the lack of compensation since the war ended
By Herbert Ssempogo
VETERANS of the 1979 war that ousted Idi Amin have petitioned government over the lack of compensation since the war ended.
Andrew Lwoka, 73, told The New Vision on Wednesday that all his efforts to get money from the Government have been futile.
“I was in exile in Kenya when Ephraim Kamuntu, Akena Pajok and Ateker Ejalu requested us to join other people who were going to liberate Uganda with the help of Tanzania,†Lwoka, who spoke a mixture of Luganda and Acholi said.
“We were taken to Dar-es-Salaam and then Morogoro.
“We were joined by other men and then embarked on the voyage to Uganda via Lake Victoria.
“Our group was called the Save Uganda Movement.
Lwoka said one of the boats in which 85 of their colleagues were travelling capsized and they all perished.
“The rest of us retreated and crossed to Uganda through Mutukula, Masaka and finally Mutundwe in Kampala where many of our colleagues were killed.
“It is at this place that my left eye was hit by shrapnel from a round of explosives,†he said as he pointed at a scar on his left eye.
He said the war which ended on April 11, claimed many of his friends adding that no person has ever recognised the efforts of the fallen heroes.
Lwoka, who lives in Gulu said all he wanted was some money to help him get on with life adding that Kony has abducted all his children so he helpless.
VETERANS of the 1979 war that ousted Idi Amin have petitioned government over the lack of compensation since the war ended.
Andrew Lwoka, 73, told The New Vision on Wednesday that all his efforts to get money from the Government have been futile.
“I was in exile in Kenya when Ephraim Kamuntu, Akena Pajok and Ateker Ejalu requested us to join other people who were going to liberate Uganda with the help of Tanzania,†Lwoka, who spoke a mixture of Luganda and Acholi said.
“We were taken to Dar-es-Salaam and then Morogoro.
“We were joined by other men and then embarked on the voyage to Uganda via Lake Victoria.
“Our group was called the Save Uganda Movement.
Lwoka said one of the boats in which 85 of their colleagues were travelling capsized and they all perished.
“The rest of us retreated and crossed to Uganda through Mutukula, Masaka and finally Mutundwe in Kampala where many of our colleagues were killed.
“It is at this place that my left eye was hit by shrapnel from a round of explosives,†he said as he pointed at a scar on his left eye.
He said the war which ended on April 11, claimed many of his friends adding that no person has ever recognised the efforts of the fallen heroes.
Lwoka, who lives in Gulu said all he wanted was some money to help him get on with life adding that Kony has abducted all his children so he helpless.