President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has proposed that the remaining cattle compensation funds for Teso Subregion be shared equitably among all households instead of a few claimants receiving large sums.
Addressing leaders, claimants, and stakeholders at Soroti University on Friday, President Museveni said the cattle lost during past wars should be regarded as a matter of “rehabilitation” rather than compensation.
“In the past, lawyers took a big portion of the money, leaving little for the people. This time, the funds must go directly to households,” Museveni said.
The President proposed that the outstanding UGX 169 billion be divided fairly. He explained that if each cow is valued at UGX 1 million, the fund could cover 169,000 cows. With about 69,000 households, each family could receive between two and three cows, while the 28,000 households already compensated would be excluded. He further suggested forming a committee of elders, youth, and women leaders to oversee the allocation.
Vice President Jessica Alupo thanked President Museveni for directly engaging with the region and addressing the cattle compensation issue. She also praised his leadership in maintaining peace through the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).
Deputy Attorney General Jackson Kafuuzi said the verification process had been restructured to avoid past inefficiencies. He explained that claimants now go through village, sub-county, and district verification committees before final approval, eliminating the centralization of the process in Kampala.
The Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs issues bio-data cards for claimants, which are verified at every level up to the district registrar. This system, introduced in 2016/17, has already processed thousands of claims across subregions.
The cattle compensation program, launched by President Museveni in 2022 with a UGX 200 billion budget, has so far paid out UGX 506.7 billion. In the latest round, Lango Subregion alone received 12,389 payments worth UGX 48.7 billion, while additional allocations across other subregions brought the total to UGX 128.3 billion through 28,281 payments.
Despite this, 24,509 verified claimants remain unpaid, with outstanding claims totaling UGX 506.69 billion. The backlog includes 5,570 claimants in the Northern Subregion with UGX 191.5 billion in claims, 8,284 in the Eastern Subregion with UGX 119.26 billion, and 10,708 in the Central Subregion with UGX 165.9 billion.
Delays in payment have been linked to duplicate or incorrect account details, blocked bank accounts, and mismatched identification records.
Bosco Okiror, MP for Usuk Constituency, urged the government to increase transparency and resolve legal disputes slowing the process. He noted that some cases, such as those involving claimant Elijah Okupa, are still in court. He suggested phased payments for large claims and called for a broader settlement covering loss of life and property, not just cattle.
President Museveni emphasized that the aim is fairness and rehabilitation for every household in Teso.
