By Steven Enatu
SOROTI
District officials in Teso have expressed frustration with the Ministry of Justice for not sharing the list of war debt claimants who have been paid. This lack of transparency has led to confusion and disorganization in the payment process.
In Ngora District, out of 1465 verified war claimants, only 360 received partial payments, while 13 claimants were fully paid a total of 1.2 billion shillings without details.
Gad Opolot, Principal Assistant Secretary of Ngora District, presented this report to the Parliament’s Committee on Government Assurances and Implementation, led by Abed Bwanika, in a fact-finding meeting with Teso war debt claimants in Soroti on Friday, 9th August 2024.
Rebecca Apio, Principal Assistant Secretary of Amuria District, revealed that the district lacks a master list of claimants, making it difficult to track payments.
The officials’ concerns highlight the need for improved communication and transparency in the payment process to ensure that claimants receive their rightful compensation.
Abed Bwanika, the chairperson of the committee noted that their visit was aimed at investigating the challenges faced by war debt claimants in Teso and who has been paid how much.
“In Teso we found out that Teso has four groups and government seems to be knowing only one group, Teso Animal and Property Claimants Organization (TAPCO). The largest group Teso War Debt Claimants group led by Julius Ochen with 205,000 members has been in court but they have not been verified up to now for payments. Secondly we noticed that Banks closed the accounts of people who were verified so when money comes it bounces,” he said.
He also reechoed the challenge of communication gap between the Ministry of Justice whereby claimants are paid and the district officials aren’t paid.
“All these we are going to put in a report and table before parliament and it shall be debated and government will be advised on how to move on with compensation because people lost their lives and properties during the wars. Government must allocate enough money and pay these old men. We have interacted with them, they are old people in 70s,” he said.
The Chairperson of the Teso War Claimants Julius Ochen expressed deep frustration over the manner in which he says government is selectively compensating people in Teso
He alleged that the process had been compromised by the government’s involvement in creating ‘TAPCO group of NRM Cadres’ and funding them to hijack the process of compensation in Teso.
“I am interesting you this committee to be very keen on this matter, otherwise you will find yourself swallowed up. There is something peculiar in the process of compensation,” he expressed.
Meanwhile, Osborn Omoding the coordinator and chairperson of TAPCO group responded to the allegations saying they have a list of 13380 beneficiaries who have been paid partially and fully out of the 33,634 who were verified. TAPCO had 74,494 people who had made a claim initially before verification.
He noted that government intention is to verify every war claimant and compensate them but the biggest challenge is with the association heads who are holding thousands of elders under their control for their own selfish interest. “Because if the Data cards are brought and someones tells you wait, don’t fill and yet government has shown a will to pay, it doesn’t make sense” he said.
Osborn however also acknowledged the communication gap between the ministry of justice and constitutional affairs and the local leaders which he says must be addressed.
” I think the ministry needs to correct that because they are communicating to the district officials, the Chief Administrative officers, Resident District Commissioners, District Veterinary Officers and the DISO’s and so they must make the flow of communication effective to avoid miscommunication,” he emphasized.
