Lawyers say Uganda faces US$60 million payout to former soldiers

KAMPALA – Uganda must pay compensation to troops who served under dictator Idi Amin that could top US$60 million, lawyers said on Saturday.

The Ugandan appeal court has upheld a claim by 45 000 former soldiers that they were not properly dismissed from the army in 1979 and are owed back pay, lawyers said. The Ugandan army has vowed to challenge the ruling in the country’s Supreme Court.”This is a ridiculous judgment,” said Joseph Matsiko, who represented the government in the five-year-old case.He said the appeal would be lodged today.”How can a court say Amin’s army that was disbanded in 1979 is part of the Ugandan army.”If successful this would be one of the biggest claims ever filed against the government.Matsiko said an earlier hearing estimated the costs at US$60 million.The 45 000 ex-troops claim that, for the past 26 years, they have been legally employed in government service as members of the army and are therefore entitled to salary, allowances and, on retirement, a discharge certificate and payment of pension.The ex-soldiers were never officially discharged when Amin was overthrown by Ugandan rebels with the backing of Tanzanian forces in 1979, the judges ruled.”This was a great ruling because these soldiers have been taken for granted,” lead lawyer John Matovu told The Associated Press.He estimated the compensation could be far higher.The case first came to court in 2002, but was dismissed in 2005 because of the time delay.The former soldiers appealed that decision, and on Thursday three appeal court judges overturned the ruling and ordered back pay.They ruled that the soldiers should be paid arrears for the 26 years up to the 2005 hearing, general damages of US$2,6 million per soldier and costs of the case.The judges did not specify in the latest hearing the full financial entitlement.Although the soldiers expected payment, it was unlikely they would receive anything like the US$60 million so far estimated.Poverty is widespread in Uganda, with almost half its 22 million people living on less than a US$1 a day.”After the take over in 1979, we were promised that we would be deployed in the new army,” 66-year-old Kiiza Rukara told the AP.Rukara was a Warrant Officer in the Ugandan army from 1971, and is now part of the Uganda Army Servicemen Development Association that filed the original claim in 2002.”We were sent back to our villages and districts, but the promise was never kept,” Rukara said.”Since then we have been in limbo.Without a discharge certificate from the army it is very difficult to apply for a job.I have been living a hand to mouth existence – I do odd jobs wherever I can find them.”Nampa-APThe Ugandan army has vowed to challenge the ruling in the country’s Supreme Court.”This is a ridiculous judgment,” said Joseph Matsiko, who represented the government in the five-year-old case.He said the appeal would be lodged today.”How can a court say Amin’s army that was disbanded in 1979 is part of the Ugandan army.”If successful this would be one of the biggest claims ever filed against the government.Matsiko said an earlier hearing estimated the costs at US$60 million.The 45 000 ex-troops claim that, for the past 26 years, they have been legally employed in government service as members of the army and are therefore entitled to salary, allowances and, on retirement, a discharge certificate and payment of pension.The ex-soldiers were never officially discharged when Amin was overthrown by Ugandan rebels with the backing of Tanzanian forces in 1979, the judges ruled.”This was a great ruling because these soldiers have been taken for granted,” lead lawyer John Matovu told The Associated Press.He estimated the compensation could be far higher.The case first came to court in 2002, but was dismissed in 2005 because of the time delay.The former soldiers appealed that decision, and on Thursday three appeal court judges overturned the ruling and ordered back pay.They ruled that the soldiers should be paid arrears for the 26 years up to the 2005 hearing, general damages of US$2,6 million per soldier and costs of the case.The judges did not specify in the latest hearing the full financial entitlement.Although the soldiers expected payment, it was unlikely they would receive anything like the US$60 million so far estimated.Poverty is widespread in Uganda, with almost half its 22 million people living on less than a US$1 a day.”After the take over in 1979, we were promised that we would be deployed in the new army,” 66-year-old Kiiza Rukara told the AP.Rukara was a Warrant Officer in the Ugandan army from 1971, and is now part of the Uganda Army Servicemen Development Association that filed the original claim in 2002.”We were sent back to our villages and districts, but the promise was never kept,” Rukara said.”Since then we have been in limbo.Without a discharge certificate from the army it is very difficult to apply for a job.I have been living a hand to mouth existence – I do odd jobs wherever I can find them.”Nampa-AP