Over 2,000 Lakwena war victims vetted for compensation

Dec 05, 2020

Mbayo said the procedure for releasing the funds to the beneficiaries has been reviewed so that they receive their money through their bank accounts instead of cash, in order to eliminate fraud.

LAKWENA WAR VICTIMS | NRM | POLITICS 

The verification of victims and survivors of the Alice Lakwena insurgency Busoga sub-region has been concluded, paving way for compensation of all eligible beneficiaries.

"I am now writing the report," the minister for the presidency, Esther Mbayo told New Vision in an interview on Saturday, on the sidelines of a scientific campaign meeting of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate, President Yoweri Museveni.

The NRM leader, on his last day of scientific campaigns in Busoga sub-region in eastern Uganda, is scheduled to meet NRM party leaders from Kamuli and Buyende district on Saturday.

In 2016, government pledged to pay victims of the Lakwena insurgency for their contribution and sacrifice in ending the insurgency in eastern Uganda.

Shortly after the compensation work started, reports of ghost beneficiaries emerged, prompting Museveni to institute a committee headed by Mbayo to screen claimants.

Mbayo said Friday (December 06, 2020) the verification exercise helped to identify eligible beneficiaries and weed out ghosts.

We also identified victims' survivors or their next of kin, who will get the pay.

Lakwena, a priestess and rebel leader waged war against, government between 1985 and1987, ravaging parts of Busoga region and leading to many deaths and destruction of property.

Lakwena preached that the Acholi could overthrow the government of Uganda if they followed her messages from God and the Holy Spirit Movement, which was defeated by the army.

Mbayo said the final report highlighting the eligible claimants would be shared with the Office of the Prime Minister, through the ministry for Luweero triangle, to facilitate their compensation.

The compensation claimants hail from districts of Mayuge, Luuka, Iganga, Bugiri, Jinja, Kamuli, Kaliro, Buyende, Namayingo, Namutumba and Serere.

Each of the victims and survivors was expected to receive sh5m for fighting on the side of government to kick out Lakwena and her fighters.

Mbayo said the procedure for releasing the funds to the beneficiaries has been reviewed so that they receive their money through their bank accounts instead of cash, in order to eliminate fraud. 

On Friday, the minister told the president at a campaign meeting in Jinja that some people she declined to name were fighting her and attempting to sabotage the verification process.

Compensation of Lakwena war victims is one of the burning demands from leaders in Busoga sub-region.

The issue came up during Museveni's campaign meeting in the region on Thursday.

Earlier in the week, Museveni met select NRM party delegates from Jinja, Luuka, Mayuge, Namutumba, Kaliro, Iganga, Bugweri, Bugiri and Namayingo.

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