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Court orders govt to pay over 3,000 Teso war claimants
The outgoing Kapelebyong County MP, Mr Julius Ochen (left), addresses Teso war claimants after a court session in Soroti District in September 2019. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
- The judge said each of the over 3,000 war claimants will get compensation of Shs20m for adults, Shs10m for children and Shs3m as damages
There was jubilation at Soroti High Court on Thursday after the presiding judge ordered that the government pays Teso war claimants over Shs20 million each in a case that had taken over 15 years unsettled.
The over 3,000 war claimants led by former Kapelebyong MP Julius Ochen and Kasilo county MP Elijah Okupa dragged government to court over the loss of property, cattle and lives in Teso between 1986 to 1994 and 2003 LRA incursion.
They were represented by Richard Omongole as their lawyer.
In the Thursday ruling, Justice Henry Peter Adonyo stated that there was breach of Articles 21, 22 and 24 of the 1995 Constitution which provides that government protects life, ensure that there is equality irrespective of colour, tribe and race and also ensure that there is no torture inflicted on citizens.
He, in his judgement opined that for each adult, government will have to pay Shs20 million and Shs10 million for each child as well as Shs3 million respectively for each claimant as damages incurred in the pursuit of the war claims in court.
The awards are as a result of livestock and lives that were lost from 1986 to 1994 following the cattle raids by the Karimojongs, losses as result of the Uganda People’s Army (UPA) rebellion and the most recent being the LRA incursion in Teso in 2003.
“Also in addition, 6% interest will be awarded to the plaintiff from the day of this judgement to the day of payment in full,” Justice Adonyo ordered.
Mr Adonyo said the rates for the livestock will be determined according to the rates of those years when they were lost.
He said the claimant’s satisfactorily adduced evidence before court about the loss of lives, torture and loss of cattle and other properties to which the state didn’t object.
Ms Lillian Omurangi of Omongole and company advocates said human rights were violated by the actions of the government that failed to protect the people of Teso.
“It is our prayer that the government honours the judgment as passed by the court,” Ms Omurangi said.
Mr William Opio, a 70-year-old resident of Wera, Amuria District, said at his age, he would love to see the government honouring the court ruling and pays them in the shortest time possible.
“It’s a great thing for the government to think about us. I lost 40 cows, my dad lost 70 and on top of that I lost my dad and child,” Ms Opio said.
