AU Backs Northern Uganda War Claimants in Fresh Legal Push Against Government

LCC TV NEWS

Kampala, July 29, 2026 — The decades-long quest for justice by war victims from Uganda's Lango, Acholi, and Teso sub-regions has received a major boost, with the African Union (AU) reportedly agreeing to support their campaign for compensation against the Government of Uganda.

The announcement was made by Moses Ogwang Adonyo, Chief Executive Officer of the Northern War Claimants, following his return from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he held meetings with AU officials. According to Adonyo, the continental body has committed to backing the claimants' pursuit of justice for property and livelihoods allegedly lost during the insurgencies that devastated the region over decades .

“The African Union has shown commitment to ensuring that the voices of war victims are heard and that justice is pursued through the appropriate legal channels,” Adonyo stated.

Adonyo disclosed that his visit on July 20 was aimed at engaging officials on legal avenues after the Ugandan government failed to fully compensate victims despite years of petitions and negotiations. Claimants are now preparing for the next legal stage, awaiting official communication from the AU to guide the filing and handling of their case.

The development marks an escalation in a long-running dispute. Claimants have previously won compensation orders in Ugandan courts but allege non-compliance by the government . In 2014, the High Court in Lira ordered the government to pay 69,475 claimants from Lango, directing each to receive Shs5 million in general damages plus interest . Similar rulings were made for claimants in Teso and Acholi .

Separate from Restocking Programme

Adonyo and other leaders have strongly rejected government claims that the compensation sought is the same as the ongoing cattle restocking programme .

“The government has repeatedly tried to equate our compensation claim with the cattle restocking programme, but they are separate matters. We are demanding compensation for losses suffered during the war, not restocking assistance,” Adonyo said .

This distinction has been a point of contention. President Yoweri Museveni has previously reframed the initiative as a rehabilitation scheme rather than compensation, arguing that the effects of war are universal and cannot be individually quantified . During a meeting with Lango leaders in August 2025, the President noted that the government had already spent Shs 169 billion on the cattle compensation scheme and would require an additional Shs 800 billion for verified and unverified claims .

Government agencies were given a one-month deadline to audit and verify all lists to curb ghost claimants . However, claimants maintain that genuine victims have been left out .

Saidi Ogwang, Chairperson of the Lango War Claimants, welcomed the AU's reported support, describing it as a major source of hope for thousands of families who lost livestock, property, and livelihoods. “The intervention by the continental body has renewed confidence among victims who have spent years demanding compensation,” he said .

Preparations Intensify

Adonyo also disclosed that within the next two weeks, he is expected to travel to Kenya for further consultations with legal partners as preparations intensify for legal action against the Government of Uganda.

The claimants have previously threatened to take their case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), citing loss of trust in the domestic judicial system . In November 2025, they issued a 40-day ultimatum to the government, warning that if their demands were not met, they would seek redress at the ICJ in The Hague .

“The government has been playing games, ping-pong, for the last 20 to 30 years. Our people of Acholi, Lango, and Teso have agreed to go to the International Court of Justice to seek justice,” said Julius Ocen, chairperson of the Teso War Debt Claimants .

The claimants have formed a unified regional group, the Greater North United War Debt Claimants Association, to strengthen their efforts . Records show that Acholi has 21,266 registered claimants, Lango has 69,475, and Teso has 134,502 . Members in Lango have raised over Shs 9 million, while those in Teso have collected more than Shs 27 million to support legal action .

The Government of Uganda had not publicly responded to the latest development by the time of publication. The claims made by the Northern War Claimants remain allegations before the court.