War debt claimants from the Acholi, Lango, and Teso sub-regions have issued a 40-day ultimatum to the Ugandan government, demanding full compensation for livestock and property lost during the two-decade Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency.
The ultimatum expires on December 24, after which the group says it will seek redress from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.
The claimants—united under a newly formed umbrella body, the Greater North War Claimants Association—argue that despite multiple court victories in Ugandan courts, the government has failed to honour compensation orders issued nearly a decade ago.
Julius Ocen, chairperson of the Teso War Debt Claimants, was elected to lead the regional body. He is deputised by Julius Oleke of the Acholi War Debt Claimants, while Moses Ogwang Adonyo, coordinator of the Lango War Claimants Association, serves as regional coordinator.
Ocen said the group had lost confidence in Uganda’s domestic judicial mechanisms.
“The government has been playing ping-pong for 20 to 30 years. Acholi, Lango, and Teso have agreed to go to the ICJ to pursue justice and recover what was taken from us,” he said.
During recent campaign tours, President Yoweri Museveni pledged to give five cows to each affected household as part of a new restocking initiative.
However, the association dismissed this proposal as inadequate and legally insufficient compared to existing High Court orders compelling the government to pay monetary compensation.
“We are not against giving five cows per household, but it cannot overrule the High Court decision,” Ocen said.
The claimants insist that previous restocking programmes have failed, citing poor implementation and unmet promises.
Ogwang Adonyo revealed that the group has begun consulting international lawyers to prepare for a possible ICJ case.
“We are sure of winning at the international court. If we win, we will attach government property abroad and auction it to pay the claimants,” he said.
“We will attach Uganda Airlines planes if they go to London and auction them. The proceeds will be enough to compensate all war claimants in Acholi, Lango, and Teso.”
The group also warned that failure to compensate them before Christmas would trigger a political shift.
“We are giving President Museveni a last chance. If no cows are paid before Christmas, all war claimants will vote for National Unity Platform’s Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine),” Ocen said, adding that the claimants feel betrayed after decades of unfulfilled commitments.
President Museveni’s senior press secretary, Sandor Walusimbi, said the government’s restocking plan reflects the will of the majority and reiterated that citizens are free to seek redress in any court.
“If they feel unhappy with the collective decision to give each household five cows, they can go and do what they want to do. We wish them good luck,” he said.
The Lango War Claimants Association first sued the government in 2010, seeking compensation for livestock and property lost during fighting between the LRA rebels and government forces.
In 2014, the High Court in Lira ruled in their favour, ordering compensation for 69,475 claimants. The court set the value of each lost cow at Shs900,000, each goat or sheep at Shs 150 000, and each pig at Shs 250,000. It also ordered the government to pay Shs 5 million in general damages to each claimant, plus 25 percent annual interest.
Similar rulings were later granted to claimants in Teso and Acholi, but government compliance remains pending.