Data Cards Concern over Lango Cattle Compensation, Kole MP’s Weigh in

By Frank Oyugi and Jk Olot

Fear and panic has gripped thousands of claimants from Lango sub-region who dragged government to court over their lost animals.

On Tuesday, the coordinator of Lango debt war claimants Moses Ogwang Adonyo addressed the media at Pacific Grand hotel in Lira city and raised concerns on how some district officials in Lango have withheld data cards in their possession which is likely to stifle the compensation process.

A data card is a document that captures the biodata of a claimant detailing his or her address, the number of lost animals, and the account details for payments among others.

“I was in Oyam district and an officer warned me to speak to my district coordinator and ask him to stop frequenting his office about data cards because government will not release any money for compensation” Ogwang Adonyo disclosed on Qfm’s morning talk back show christened Yite Twolo.

Ogwang Adonyo meanwhile lauded Kole district leaders whom he says have been compliant in issuing data cards that has seen numerous claimants paid and new data cards are about to be dispatched by the office of the Attorney General.

He says Apac district has exhibited a dismal performance to the extent that only a paltry 0.2 percent of the claimants have received compensation monies from government.

In his letter dated 9th April 2024 and addressed to all the chief Administrative officers in all the districts of Lango,Teso and Acholi sub-regions,Kafuzi Jackson Karugaba,the deputy Attorney General.

He however warned that failure to issues data cards to claimants is in ultravias and contravenes the directives of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and that of the Attorney General notified and advised the accounting officers that the debt war compensation in these three regions are open to all the claimants.

“……and local governments should through their district structures verify all claimants /beneficiaries information and submit the information to the ministry of justice and constitutional affairs using the outstanding data cards that are still in your possession, reads the last paragraph of Kafuzi’s letter”

Speaking on the same show on Radio Qfm, Kole North MP Dr. Samuel Opio Acuti who has closely followed up this matter both in parliament and with the office of the Attorney General said accounting officers and district officials who have ignored the directive of the Attorney General could face displinary action because their actions tantamount to abuse of office and negligence of duty.

Dr.Opio says he has constantly consulted with the Attorney General who has maintained that data cards be issued to all claimants and advised district officials who could be oblivious of the process to reach out to the office of the Attorney General.

According to Dr.Acuti,when the president came to Alidi in Loro to address the issue of Lira- Kamdini road he equally directed that all the claimants in Lango, Acholi and Teso be compensated and he wondered why some district officials are withholding the data cards as he pledged to follow up on the issue.

He also expressed fear that the Finance ministry may not release funds meant for compensation if the data cards are not filled and returned to the ministry of justice and constitutional affairs.

On her part, MP Judith Alyek, Kole district woman MP who doubles as the chairperson of Lango parliamentary group revealed that Lango has about 125,000 who are demanding compensation from government and also affirmed that filling of the data cards is open to all the claimants.

At least 80b shillings was appropriated by parliament in this current financial year for compensation of the claimants and advised that districts should expedite filling of the data cards by the claimants.

Mp Alyek pledged that as Lango parliamentary group they are persistently pushing government to ensure that those who lost their animals are compensated.

In 2010, war victim under Lango War Claimants Association sued Government in a civil suit number 027/2010 at Lira High Court demanding for compensation for their animals and property lost during the war between 1986 and 2006.

Former high court judge and now the current chairperson of the electoral commission, Justice Byamukama Mugenyi who presided over the case in his ruling ordered that each claimant be paid Ugx 4M as general damages and Ugx 1M each for exemplary costs which they incurred while pursuing the case and that government should grant the claimants 25% of the total award since 2004 to date.

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