A section of Members of Parliament (MPs) from the Teso Sub-Region has launched a campaign dubbed “No Cow, No Vote,” aimed at pressuring the Ugandan government to compensate Iteso for the loss of livestock and property during past insurgencies.
The campaign, spearheaded by Soroti City West MP Jonathan Ebwalu and Soroti City Woman MP Joan Alobo Acom, seeks to mobilize affected communities to demand compensation before the 2026 elections.
The legislators argue that the government has ignored court rulings and previous promises to compensate Teso war victims, unlike other regions that have already received payments.
“Teso was one of the wealthiest regions in Uganda before the NRM took power in 1986,” said MP Ebwalu during the campaign launch.
“Our parents were able to take us to prestigious schools, and we had jobs. But today, we are being reduced to beggars.”
During the 1980s and 1990s, Teso suffered devastating losses due to insurgencies, cattle rustling by Karamojong warriors, and the civil war that led to the rise of the NRM government.
Many Iteso families lost their livestock, which was their primary source of wealth, and despite multiple petitions, their compensation has remained pending for decades.
In March 2022, President Yoweri Museveni launched the compensation process for war victims in the Acholi, Lango, and Teso sub-regions, acknowledging their losses.
However, as of March 2025, the implementation of this compensation has been met with significant challenges, leading to heightened tensions and political activism within the affected communities.
MPs argue that the process has been slow, inadequate, and selectively implemented.
According to MP Ebwalu, there have been three separate court rulings in favor of Teso war victims.
“The courts ruled that an adult life lost should be compensated at UGX 20 million, a child’s life at UGX 10 million, and UGX 3 million in damages,” said Ebwalu. “Yet, to this day, no meaningful compensation has been made.”
The MPs also accused the NRM government of using compensation promises as an election tool.
“Every election cycle, the government deceives us,” MP Ebwalu said.
“The President came here to launch the compensation at Soroti University, but shortly after, the Attorney General appealed the court judgments, delaying justice.”
Joan Alobo Acom also echoed her frustration saying, “We hear rumors that some people have been compensated, but who are they? This is political propaganda. We know individuals who lost 50 or even 100 cows, yet the so-called compensation amounts to only a fraction of that.”
MP Alobo claims the lack of compensation has contributed to the declining economy, as former cattle owners now struggle to afford basic healthcare, education, and economic opportunities.
“Teso was once a leading region in agriculture and trade, but today, we rank among the poorest,” said Alobo Acom.
“People cannot even afford proper medical care. This is unacceptable.”
“It doesn’t matter whether you are NRM, FDC, or NUP; we must first resolve the compensation issue,” Ebwalu declared.
“All our cows, all the lives lost must be accounted for. If demanding our rights costs us our seats in Parliament, so be it. If it means going to prison, we are ready,” added Ebwalu.
The campaign is set to escalate this Friday with a mass rally, where thousands of Teso residents are expected to gather in solidarity.
The Ugandan government has previously acknowledged the legitimacy of the compensation claims.
Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka told Parliament recently that the government had begun paying verified claimants, but the process was slow due to challenges in verification and budgeting.
“Each cow is valued at approximately UGX 1,050,000 for compensation purposes,” Kiryowa said. “However, we have received numerous false claims, requiring thorough verification before payments are made.”
The compensation issue has also taken a political twist following the arrest of 40 Teso elders in February 2025 after meeting Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine), leader of the National Unity Platform (NUP).
The elders had gathered at NUP headquarters in Kampala to discuss the compensation issue and the growing poverty in Teso.
However, as they were leaving, security forces intercepted them, confiscated their phones, and detained them for several hours at Wandegeya Police Station before releasing them.
Bobi Wine condemned the arrests, saying, “These are senior citizens who have done nothing wrong except demand justice. The regime is panicking because people are waking up.”
The Speaker of Parliament Anita Among, a high-ranking government official from Teso, warned Bobi Wine against exploiting the compensation issue for political gain.
“The compensation matter is serious and should not be politicized,” Among said.
“Leaders must work together to ensure a fair process instead of using it to score political points.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Osborne Omoding a member of Teso Animal and Property Compensation (TAPCO) questioned why Teso MPs can’t they mobilize their colleagues and raise a matter of national or regional importance in the flow of parliament about cattle compensation not in the village.
In a recent interview, Omoding had said that 13,338 claimants have been either fully or partially compensated. However, this process has not been without its challenges.
Mr. Omoding explained that the process began with a rigorous verification of claimants.
“When we compiled the data of the verified claimants and made a report to the Minister of Justice and to the President, we had the numbers at 33,664 as verified claimants,” Mr. Omoding noted.
“It took some time for the payment to start, even for the verification to start,” Mr. Omoding acknowledged.
“Some of the groups that went to court were still in court, casting a shadow over the compensation process,” he added.
As the 2026 elections approach, the Ugandan government is facing increasing pressure to deliver on its promises.
About Author
