The Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs has released a list of verified war debt claimants for public viewing at the sub-county level in Soroti district. This list, reflecting the actual liabilities as of the end of the last financial year, comprises 1,216 verified claimants who are eligible for compensation.
The verified claimants’ information includes their supplier numbers, National Identification Numbers (NINs), data cards, and letters of administration for relatives claiming on behalf of deceased family members.
Abraham Ekwaru, the Soroti District Communications Officer, explained that the new list includes claimants who have completed all the necessary procedures outlined by the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs to receive compensation from government.
He acknowledged that there were initial errors in the enrollment process, but these have since been rectified. The new list reveals that the highest beneficiary will receive five cattle, while the majority are eligible for two or three cows. The value of each cow is assessed at Shillings 1,050,000.
This marks the first list of claimants to be compensated in Soroti since the launch of the compensation program in March 2022. Ekwaru emphasized that this list is distinct from other lists associated with the Teso Animal and Property Claimants Organization (TAPCO) and the Teso War Victims who are pursuing legal action regarding the matter.
Any claimant whose name appears on multiple lists will be removed until the court resolves the issue. Earlier this year, the Teso War Debt Claimants returned to court, asserting that the government’s compensation program did not adequately address their losses.
Their legal representative, Richard Omongole, stated that they are seeking compensation totaling Shillings 4.4 trillion in the case.
