Chua West Member of Parliament Simon Peter Oryema Adum has urged the government to expedite compensation for approximately 15,000 registered landmine victims in Kitgum District, saying many have waited nearly two decades without receiving payment.
Raising a matter of national importance in Parliament on Thursday, October 22, 2026, Oryema said the victims were registered in 2007 and were expected to receive between UGX 3 million and UGX 5 million each.
He said none of the registered victims had received compensation, raising concerns about the government's response to the plight of people affected by landmines in the Acholi sub-region.
Oryema also questioned the apparent disparity between the prolonged delay in compensating landmine victims and government efforts to compensate other affected groups in connection with livestock.
“I don't know how we differentiate humanity and a cow,” Oryema said, expressing frustration over the failure to compensate the victims.
His remarks have renewed attention on the challenges facing communities in northern Uganda that continue to seek redress for injuries and losses resulting from past conflicts.
The proposed compensation rates of UGX 3 million to UGX 5 million per claimant would translate into a total of UGX 45 billion to UGX 75 billion if all 15,000 registered claimants were verified, deemed eligible and paid at those rates.
However, the government has yet to confirm the final number of eligible beneficiaries, the applicable compensation rates and the total funding required, according to the information available for this report.
The outstanding questions include whether the verification exercise will be completed in time for the next budget cycle and whether sufficient funds will be allocated to meet the compensation commitment.
For victims registered in 2007, the priority remains securing a clear timeline for the resolution of their claims and the payment of any compensation due.
