By Our Reporter,
LIRA CITY
In a significant move towards peaceful resolution, leaders of the Lango War Claimants have called off a planned demonstration and agreed to support the government’s revised cattle restocking program following a high-level meeting held on Sunday at Tasha Hotel in Lira City.
The meeting, which brought together government officials and claimants’ representatives, resulted in five key resolutions aimed at resolving long-standing grievances over the compensation process for livestock lost during the Lord’s Resistance Army insurgency.
The talks were attended by Government Chief Whip, Denish Hamson Obua, and Canon Ogwang Odyera who represented Wonyaci Dr.Eng Moses Micheal Odongo Okune. The Lango War Claimants were represented by their spokesperson, Eng. Mike Apita Fred, alongside selected coordinators and representatives.
The central outcome was the immediate cancellation of a demonstration planned for Monday, which was intended to protest alleged mismanagement and issues of representation within the compensation process.
“The leaders of Lango war claimants decided to call off the planned demonstration of Monday tomorrow over mismanagement and representation,” read the first resolution from the meeting.
Further resolutions signal a new chapter of cooperation. The claimants unanimously agreed to support President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s proposal for the direct restocking of households with cows, a method seen as more transparent and effective.
In a show of goodwill, the leaders also pledged to support the newly amended lists of the Lango Presidential Cattle Restocking and Rehabilitation Committees, a previous point of contention. However, they formally requested a direct meeting with President Museveni to discuss their issues in detail.
A firm stand was also taken against fraud, with a resolution calling for individuals who have “defrauded the government of the Republic of Uganda and Lango of cattle compensation [to] be identified, exposed, arrested, and prosecuted under the laws of Uganda.”
Addressing journalists after the closed-door meeting, Government Chief Whip Denish Hamson Obua confirmed the resolutions. He hailed the outcome as a positive step forward and called for patience among the Lango community.
“I can confirm the resolutions of the meeting, which were reached in a spirit of unity and desire for progress,” Obua stated. “I also call for calmness among Lango as they wait for compensation. Dialogue is the best path forward.”
Eng. Mike Apita Fred, the representative of the Lango War Claimants Association, commended President Museveni for his openness to engage with them directly.
“We commend the President for accepting to meet Lango war claimants leaders to discuss the matter. This is a welcome development,” Apita said. He echoed the Chief Whip’s call for unity, adding, “We also call for unity among Lango for a successful process. Our strength lies in speaking with one voice to achieve our common goal.”
The meeting marks a crucial de-escalation of tensions and opens a new door for dialogue, offering hope to thousands of claimants who have waited years for resolution. The anticipated meeting with the President is now seen as the next critical step in finalizing the path to compensation.
