185 army veterans miss packages as cheques expire

 

 A prison warder beats a prisoner as fellow inmates look on from inside the ward of Lira Central Prison on Wednesday. Photo by Hudson Apunyo   

 

By Cissy Makumbi

Posted  Tuesday, February 12  2013 at  02:00

In Summary

However, Gulu RDC James Nabinson Kidega said they were planning a new strategy to have the ex-soldiers get their benefits with the help of the Chief Administrative Officers of the three districts.

At least 185 army veterans from Gulu, Amuru and Nwoya districts have not received their gratuities after cheques dated 1994, bounced.

The cheques, each ranging between Shs2 million and Shs6 million, have since been sent back to the Uganda Veterans Assistance Board (UVAB).

The chairperson of the veterans association in the region, Mr Patrick Omara, said the cheques expired and had to be sent back to the board after many of the retired soldiers got other jobs and forgot about their benefits.

“Some of them died without knowing that their cheques were at the districts, while others had no relatives to collect the cheques for them after they left their home areas for other employment,” Mr Omara said, adding that only 12 beneficiaries accessed their cash at the time. “When the cheques went stale, they were taken back to Kampala awaiting the respective owners to reactivate them.”

Ms Agnes Onegio, whose husband retired in 1993, said he died 10 years later without accessing his gratuity.

“I was counting on my husband’s pension but nothing has materialised up to now,” she said.
Ms Onegio said following up the payments in Kampala may not be possible as she is unable to pay for her travels.

Remedy
However, Gulu RDC James Nabinson Kidega said they were planning a new strategy to have the ex-soldiers get their benefits with the help of the Chief Administrative Officers of the three districts.

“Some of these veterans are now too weak to walk to the district headquarters to follow up their cases while others are not even aware of the process unless we get to the ground and inform them,” he said.

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