Prime
Museveni directs compensation of Buikwe bush war victims
Some of the Bush war victims attending a memorial service at Capital Gardens in Nagongera Town Council Tororo District. PHOTO/JOSEPH OMOLLO
What you need to know:
- Shs58.2b: The amount directed towards resettlement of the victims.
President Museveni’s letter directing compensation to more than 386 victims of the 1981-1986 bush war in Buikwe District has restored hope.
The victims are mainly Jopadhola, who settled in Semuto area in Buikwe after they were forced to flee from the raging insurgency.
Under their umbrella organisation dubbed National Association of Displaced People (NADIP), they have been engaging the government to compensate them for their lost property.
In a June 24 letter addressed to Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka, the head of state directed compensation of Shs58.2 billion towards resettlement of the victims.
According to the directive that this newspaper has accessed, President Museveni says he is aware of the Badama (Jopadhola) who ran away from their Bibanja in Semuto area during the bush war.
“I, therefore, direct you to engage their association headed by Peter Oyuk so that you solve their problems. These people were peasants caught up in conflicts caused by elites and that even if they were involved in anti-people activities, their families may be innocent,’’ he said.
During a memorial service organised at Capital Pub in Nagongera Town Council, Tororo District on Tuesday, the war survivors applauded the President for considering their plea. They requested government to expedite the process.
Ms Jane Nyamwenge, 64, a survivor, told the Daily Monitor that her children keep wondering why she rents during her advanced age.
“Our home was attacked at night, and my husband died in cold blood and all our house properties and cattle robbed. That’s how my life turned out like this,” she said.
Mr Ronnie Oketch, the chairperson of the National Association of the Displaced Persons, said the directive is timely as some war victims work in people’s gardens to earn a living.
The association director, Mr Peter Oyuk, said 386 victims have been assessed to benefit from the compensation.
Tororo District chairperson John Okeya appealed to the head of state to fulfil other pledges such as compensating the Lakwena war victims and tamacking of Tororo-Nagongera-Busolwe road.
