Lira, Uganda – The leaders of disgruntled Lango war debt claimants have selected 100 people to meet with His Excellency, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. The group has unanimously appointed Paramount Chief Won Nyaci, His Highness Eng. Dr. Moses Michael Odongo Okune, and Hon. Dr. Samuel Opio Acuti, the Member of Parliament for Kole North, to lead them in the upcoming meeting with the President at State House.
This decision was made during an emergency meeting held on August 18, 19, 22, and 29, 2025, at Pacific Grand Hotel and Komar Guest House in Lira City, following the President’s announcement on August 17, 2025, from Lango College Playground that he would meet with leaders of the war debt claimants.
In presenting the resolutions, Advisor Onyekho Geoffrey and Counsel Bosco Twontoo Obaa stated that the meeting had passed a vote of no confidence in Hon. Julius Acon Bua, the Member of Parliament for Otuke East County. They accused him of attempting to appoint himself as the representative of the claimants without their consent or approval.
The claimants also demanded that the number of invitees be increased from 20 to at least 100.
Meanwhile, Mr. Obua Sam, the Chairperson of the Lango War Debts Claimants Association, criticized the alleged self-appointment of Hon. Acon as patron. He emphasized that the claimants do not recognize him and want Hon. Opio Acuti to replace him. Speaking at a meeting held at Komar Hotel in Lira City on August 29, 2025, Obua Sam declared that they had resolved to have Lango Paramount Chief Dr. Eng. Moses Odongo Okune lead them to meet President Museveni.
The delegation will also include three Members of Parliament from the Lango Parliamentary Group: Hon. Hamson Obua, the Government Chief Whip; Hon. Alyek Judith, the Chairperson of the Lango Parliamentary Group; and Hon. Dr. Samuel Opio Acuti, the Secretary of the Lango Parliamentary Group.
Among the opinion leaders attending the meeting are Bishop Tom Ibrahim Okello of All Nations Church, Retired DIGP Julius Peter Odwe, Levi Okidi Mac-Pio, retired Town Clerk Lillian Ocari, and Hon. Abola Francis, LCV Chairperson of Otuke District.
Other leaders include Anglican Bishop Prof. Alfred Olwa, representing the religious section, Hon. Odongo DK, the Chairperson of Lango District LCV, and the Mayor’s Association.
In addition, 15 leaders at the regional level, 10 leaders from the claimants at the district level, and 10 district coordinators of war claimants from the nine districts in Lango and Lira City will attend. Each district will have six coordinators, bringing the total number of coordinators to 60, plus selected journalists, making up a total of 100 attendees.
Obua cautioned that the President should exclude Hon. Acon Julius Bua from the compensation process, advocating instead for Hon. Opio Acuti, the MP for Kole District, who he described as honest.
Onyekho Geoffrey and Bosco Twontoo Obaa also noted that in 2006, at the Gulu State Lodge, President Museveni met with Hon. Sam Engola, Hon. Felix Okot Ogong, Okodi Mac-Pio, Kim Wegulu, who was then the NRM spokesperson, and the late Retired Col. Okello Engola Mac Odwogo. During that meeting, they raised the issue of cattle compensation and peace, and it is from that point that the issue of cattle compensation began. Notably, MP Acon was not part of that group.
Counsel Geoffrey emphasized that it is the claimants who are suffering, and it is unfair to have only a few people involved in the process while leaving out the real claimants who have been waiting for compensation for years.
The claimants urged President Museveni to exclude Hon. Acon from the process, asserting that “Hon. Acon is not a claimant, and they do not know him or where the third party supporting him comes from.”
The Lango War Claimants Association had previously dragged the government to court in 2011 under case file number 006/2011 at Lira High Court, demanding compensation for the animals and property lost during the war between 1986 and 2006.
It should be noted that under the case file number 006/2011, the total number of claimants under Obua and Akello Betty stands at 62,000, while 69,000 claimants are represented by Deliyorn Johnson and others versus the Attorney General.
Currently, the number of coordinators for the Lango subregion from the region, districts, and sub-counties stands at 7,000.
The issue of the data card has been marred with irregularities.
When contacted for his comment, Hon. Acon dismissed claims that there are mafias in Obua’s and Sam’s team. He added that the people of the Acholi and Teso subregions had agreed to the issue of five cows per household and wondered why some people were rejecting this proposal from the President.
In his concluding remarks, Counsel Geoffrey appreciated the President for his efforts but urged that the right person, like Hon. Acon, should be allowed to lead the people. He recalled that in 2016, some unnamed individuals misled the President at Mayor’s Garden in Lira, and as a result, many of them did not vote. However, this time, they are committed to telling the truth, which will benefit everyone without false allegations or lies.
