Uganda’s war scars are not only etched in history books but in the daily struggles of survivors still waiting for justice.
Over four decades since the end of Uganda’s guerrilla war, countless families say they remain trapped in poverty, trauma, and neglect. Many accuse the government of using compensation as a political weapon — rewarding only those aligned with the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) while sidelining others who suffered equally.
In Isingiro District, one family recalls how, in the 1980s, soldiers stormed their homestead, looted cattle, and violated women. Despite repeated efforts to seek redress, they claim officials demanded public allegiance to the government before their pleas could even be considered.
“They tell us if you are not NRM, don’t bother,” said an elderly survivor. “But our pain is real. They killed our people, burned our homes, and stole our livestock.”
Human rights organizations confirm that survivors from across the country — from the Luweero Triangle to the West Nile and Rwenzori regions — have lodged claims for decades, yet many files gather dust. Critics say selective payouts have entrenched division rather than healed wounds.
Stories like that of Moses Kakuru, whose family was devastated by Museveni’s rebels in the late 1970s, illustrate the generational scars. Kakuru lost his parents to a mix of violence and disease born out of war, and his family’s livestock was never restored. His ordeal echoes thousands of Ugandans excluded from the state’s official “liberation” narrative.
Analysts warn that unresolved grievances continue to erode unity. “If justice is given only to the loyal, then reconciliation remains a myth,” argues one Kampala-based historian.
Today, survivors remain stuck between memory and despair — their houses unrepaired, children orphaned, and voices suppressed. The war may have ended on the battlefield, but for them, the fight for justice endures.
