Veterans from the Greater Luwero districts who claim they were shortchanged in government compensation programmes have welcomed President Yoweri Museveni’s directive ordering a comprehensive audit of more than Shs 231 billion disbursed under veteran wealth-creation and gratuity schemes over the years.
The audit, announced during Museveni’s Heroes Day address, is expected to scrutinize payments made under the Luwero-Rwenzori programme, where thousands of former National Resistance Army (NRA) fighters and civilian contributors have received one-off gratuities since 2009.
Many veterans say the audit offers a long-awaited opportunity to expose alleged fraud, recover lost funds, and hold responsible officials accountable. One of the complainants, Lawrence Ssaku of Butanza Trading Centre in Katikamu Sub-county, alleges he received only Shs 500,000 instead of the Shs 5 million recorded as having been paid to him.
He claims he was taken to a bank in Wobulenzi by a veterans’ association leader, where he withdrew the money but later discovered that most of it never reached him. Another veteran, 72-year-old Tom Ndugga of Nakaseta Village in Nakaseke District, also alleges he received only Shs 1.5 million out of the Shs 5 million allocated to him. He accuses association leaders of diverting the balance.
Veterans’ representative Livingstone Kategeya says at least 50 veterans in his area were similarly underpaid, alleging that leaders target elderly and illiterate beneficiaries to manipulate withdrawals and retain part of the funds. Some veterans further claim they are pressured even after receiving payments to surrender part of their gratuity, often under intimidation.
Other veterans, including Issa Kagimu from Kikamulo Sub-county, say their names were omitted from beneficiary lists entirely, alleging favoritism and bribery in the selection process. He claims some leaders include relatives and associates when compiling beneficiary lists.
However, Kamulali Sserwambala, Chairperson of the Zirobwe Sub-county Veterans Association, dismissed allegations of embezzlement, insisting that some veterans voluntarily share a portion of their payments as appreciation for assistance in processing claims.
He instead called for investigations into officials within the Luwero-Rwenzori Development Programme and the Ministry of Finance, citing administrative and funding gaps as contributing factors. According to State Minister for Luwero-Rwenzori Triangle Affairs Alice Kaboyo, the government has so far compensated 93,514 civilian veterans, including 13,681 beneficiaries in the current phase. Payments under the programme range from Shs 1.5 million to Shs 5 million, intended as recognition for contributions to the NRA liberation war.
In 2022, the ministry temporarily halted a Shs 4 billion payout over concerns about fake claimants, including cases of leaders allegedly registering relatives as beneficiaries. Payments resumed in the 2024/25 financial year after verification, with Shs 3.04 billion disbursed to 1,269 veterans and an additional Shs 882 million to 363 others. Despite reforms, complaints of mismanagement persist.
The ministry has since directed that beneficiary lists be publicly displayed at offices in Luwero Town Council to improve transparency, though veterans say access remains limited for those in remote areas. For many veterans, however, the newly announced audit is seen as a critical step toward resolving long-standing grievances and ensuring that compensation intended for former fighters and their families reaches the rightful beneficiaries-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
