Deputy Attorney General, Jackson Kafuuzi, has said that the government needs Shs2 trillion to compensate victims of wars and insurgencies in Northern and Eastern Uganda, West Nile, and the Elgon sub-region.
While appearing before the Committee on Government Assurance and Implementation presided over by the vice-chairperson, Hon. Joseph Ssewungu, on Thursday, Kafuuzi said that to date, 20,727 claimants have been paid a total of Shs50 billion in the 27 districts in Acholi, Lango, West Nile, Karamoja, Teso, Sebei, Bukedi, and Busoga sub-regions, with each district receiving at least Shs1.7 billion.
“At the closure of the Financial Year 2021/2022, out of 38,225 submissions from the districts, 30,339 were reviewed. Out of the 30,339 submissions, 20,727 were paid a total sum of Shs50 billion,” he said.
Kafuuzi said that compensation was raised from about Shs300,000 to Shs1 million for each animal and that compensation was done for up to 50 cows.
He added that claimants being paid are those who sued the government, which prayed that the cases be settled out of court.
Kafuuzi, however, said that the estimated amount needed to complete the compensation would be Shs2 trillion, which would cater for all war debt claimants of Acholi, Lango, Teso, Karamoja, West Nile, Sebei, Bukedi, Busoga, and other regions.
He said that this figure is not yet verified, but rather an estimate based on several other districts that seek to be included.
Ssewungu tasked the Attorney General to provide details of some of the beneficiaries of compensation.