KAMPALA – Victims and survivors of the Alice Lakwena insurgency demand the government to fulfill its pledge of UGX11.6 billion for their contribution to ending the fights in eastern Uganda.
The victims and survivors total to 2,330, each of which expects Shs5 million for fighting on the side of government to kick out Lakwena and her fighters, who ravaged the region, killing people and destroying property between 1985 and1987.
In a petition presented to the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, on Monday, January 27, 2020, the group under ‘Lakwena Victims Association’ says they are aggrieved that execution of a pledge by President Yoweri Museveni in 2016 to compensate them has overly delayed without any signs of it being fulfilled.
“While the President was in Luuka district at Busiro Primary School in 2016, he pledged that Lakwena war victims from Teso, Busoga, Bukedi be sorted out within 40 days. He indeed directed the Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda to handle the matter,” said Swaibu Igulu, the Chairperson of Association.
He said that the group leaders are threatened by their members who blame them for swindling money.
“There are many people we left behind who say that we the leaders took the money promised by the President,” he said.
The compensation claimants hail from districts of Mayuge, Luuka, Iganga, Bugiri, Jinja, Kamuli, Kaliro, Buyende, Namayingo, Namutumba and Serere.
The group accused the Chairperson Veterans Verification Committee, Office of the President, Col Jacob Asiimwe, for failing the compensation.
Speaker Kadaga pledged to convene a meeting with officials from the Office of the Prime Minister, who were repeatedly mentioned by petitioners to have dragged the payment process.
“I will invite the Prime Minister, the Minister for Luwero Triangle, Col Jacob Asiimwe and your representatives from each district such that we identify the roadblock,” she said.
CAPTION: Kadaga (R) meets the victims and survivors of the Lakwena insurgency at her office in Kampala
