Overview:
The program will continue annually until all targeted households are compensated. At least 76 billion shillings is earmarked over five years for the restocking initiative, which is intended to support recovery rather than serve purely as compensation.
The Cabinet has approved a plan to compensate households in Northern Uganda affected by insurgency, beginning in the new financial year. Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, Minister of ICT and National Guidance, told journalists in Kampala that each targeted household will receive five heifers, valued at one million shillings each, totaling five million shillings per household.
“The areas hit hardest by insurgencies, especially the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), lost cattle and resources. Each household will receive five cattle to rebuild livestock populations and improve livelihoods in these sub-regions,” Baryomunsi said. The program will focus on communities in Acholi, Lango, and Teso.
Baryomunsi acknowledged that previous government compensation efforts failed due to corruption involving middlemen and lawyers, which prevented resources from reaching intended beneficiaries.
“This time, we are determined to succeed. The distribution will be direct, without intermediaries. Government officials under the Parish Development Model (PDM) will oversee delivery, targeting households captured in the recent National Census,” he explained.
The program will continue annually until all targeted households are compensated. At least 76 billion shillings is earmarked over five years for the restocking initiative, which is intended to support recovery rather than serve purely as compensation.
The initiative comes in response to widespread livestock losses during conflicts in Northern and Eastern Uganda, including the National Resistance Army war of the 1980s. Over the years, affected individuals have sought redress in courts, with rulings in their favor. However, past implementations fell short, with released amounts insufficient to cover estimated losses.
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