The family of Okech Opobo Kuru, a former Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) captain and peace emissary is demanding justice and Shillings 2 billion in compensation from the government, 22 years later after his death at the hands of the rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).
Capt. Kuru was reportedly killed by LRA rebels on March 24 2003 from Lalogi village, Koyo Parish in Lapul Sub-county, Pader district where he had travelled to meet a senior LRA commander in a bid to broke possible negotiations between the government and the insurgents.
Details surrounding Kuru’s death who at the time was under the Fourth Infantry Division headquarters in Gulu and part of the Presidential Peace Team however remain scare and to-date his body has never been found. Now 22 years later, his family says they are still waiting for a concrete report on what could have caused his death and question circumstances surrounding compensation from the government for his sacrifice in building peace.
Mary Labworo Okech, a widow of the late Kuru told Uganda Radio Network that she got to know about the death of her husband through a radio announcement arguing that no army official came home to explain about his demise. Labworo said, at the time, the family entrusted two nephews to follow up with a government promise of compensation in 2004 but to-date they have refused to disclose any information pertaining the payment.
She explained that those they trusted suddenly became successful businessmen after a short trip they made to Kampala to follow the payments raising suspicion of conspiracy. According to her, all their efforts to follow up on the payments have been blocked by a nephew they entrusted.
Labworo noted that ever since the demise of her husband, the family has been struggling financially adding that majority of the children failed to study, and the widows remain squatters since there is no land left by Kuru. She has requested the government to help the family to purchase land, construct houses for the widows and pay school fees for children still in need of studying.
Capt Kuru is survived by widows, and 22 children. Everest Rubangakene Okech, the first son to the late Okech Kuru however demanded that the army must come out and investigate one of their relatives who was entrusted with following up compensation arguing that they suspect he could have received and used the money for personal gains.
Rubangakene noted that ever since they started askingtheir nephew about the compensation, he has resorted to intimidating the family. He said the family is requesting for what’s due to them for the contribution of Kuru who was entrusted to broker peace and asked the government for 2 billion Shillings’ compensation considering the sacrifice he made.
The family expects to use part of the compensation to hold a proper funeral rite for Okech Kuru who has never been given a befitting burial ceremony following the failure to find his physical body. Martin Oryem, whom the family accuses of not disclosing any information about the compensation despite being trusted to follow it declined to comment on the matter.
He instead referred this reporter to the office of the Gulu Resident City Commission where he claims they had discussions with the complainants. “Go to the office of the RCC, you will get all our details, how it ended, and why it wasn’t possible,” he said.
However, at the RDC office, no record indicated the family recently held meetings to resolve the matter. Instead an official who didn’t want to be named advised the family to report and make a formal complaint for their case to be followed with the army.
Maj Gen Felix Busizoori, the Fourth Infantry Division Commander has however advised the family to report to the Division for verification of the details of Okech Kuru. “Let those people come here at the fourth division in, they can meet the Admin officer, then they give the name, period in which he entered the army and when he was killed. We can make a follow up from there,” h said.
Gen Busizoori expressed concerns that the UPDF may not intervene in the family matter if at compensation money had been paid by the government. “If he has taken the money, it becomes very hard for us to intervene. They (family) have to take the matter to the police and court,” said Gen Busizoori.