GOVERNMENT PAYMENT OF GHOST WAR CLAIMANTS IN ACHOLI SUB REGION WORRIES REAL CLAIMANTS

By Bridget Agenorwot

Gulu

More than 400 War debt claimants in Acholi Sub-region who lost their cattle during the insurgencies perpetrated by Holy Spirit Movement popularly known as Lakwena led by the late Alice Lakwena and the Lord`s Resistance Army of General Joseph Kony were shocked to learn that a number of them are said to have already been paid yet to them only a few of them have so far been compensated partially.

This was disclosed during the recent validation of the claimants by Government assurance committee where the office of the attorney general told them that their records indicate that majority of the claimants have already been compensated fully.

Steven Ogik, a claimant from Omoro district said that he lost 65 herds of cattle and 10 goats and up to now he has never got any compensation. He added that, he heard that some claimants in Omoro district were paid in 2013 where some of the claimants reportedly received partial payments of as less as 216,000 shillings each. Ogik said he is now tired of flocking the offices of the responsible officials for his compensation.

Steven Olanya, another claimant from Agago district said that their family lost more than 70 cows and up to date no compensation has been made.
Olanya, added that he has been incurring a lot of expenses in transportation from the village to Gulu city to follow up on the compensation.

Cosmas James Okidi, the Deputy Resident District Commissioner of Gulu said they have been receiving many questions from the claimants pertaining their compensation but they couldn’t give any answer to them because it is the office of the Chief Administrative officer which is tasked with responsibility of generating the list of claimants to be forwarded for payment.

The retired Justice Galdino Moro, the head of compensation committee for Acholi war debt claimants notes that for Acholi sub-region their records show a bigger number of claimants set for compensation is far much above the number presented by the office of the attorney general.

The office of the Attorney General`s figure stands at 16,946 claimants compared to the 21,266 claimants reflected on the Compensation committee`s records for Acholi Sub-region.

Sewungu Joseph Gonzaga, the chairperson of government assurance checking the list of claimants

Sewungu Joseph Gonzaga, the chairperson of government assurance expressed a great shock to learn that majority of the Claimants have not yet been compensated yet the Attorney General office`s records show that government has already paid majority of the claimants.

Gonzaga added that he will get back to the Attorney General to verify the information he got from the claimants to see that only genuine claimants get compensated.

COVER PHOTO: One of the war claimants raising an issue during the meeting By Bridget Agenorwot