the Humanist view

“Will the rehabilitation agenda for Teso of five cows bail Iteso out of poverty?”

This was the topic of discussion on the political talk show “Teso Gang” on Voice of Teso. I was among the discussants invited to contribute to this debate about the “Teso cattle compensation fund.”

For my prep, I e-searched for material on the subject and among which was a post on the State House website titled:

“President Museveni proposes fair distribution of Teso cattle compensation fund to benefit all households.” Here is the link.

President Museveni is quoted as having “urged that the ongoing cattle compensation exercise in Teso sub-region should benefit all households, rather than concentrating the funds on a few claimants… The President said that the loss of cattle in Teso was caused by past wars, and what is often referred to as “compensation” should be regarded as rehabilitation.”

Listening to my fellow contributors and as well as the Iteso, the people, who called into the show, I had a major ‘light bulb moment.’

President Museveni is indeed a masterful politician.

First, he made a major change of language and it seems he has gotten away with it. There is a major difference between “Rehabilitation” and “Compensation,” the latter which in essence is reparation.

• Rehabilitation is clothed in language of this is a deliverable of the current administration. We rehabilitated Teso, kind of speak. Thus framing the issue in benevolence.
• Reparation acknowledges a wrong was done for which amends are made. In which case, the entity that did wrong is named and that entity atones, including paying compensation to the wronged, in this case, the claimants.

The President in effect pulled the proverbial rag from under the rightful claimants’ feet, and obfuscated the issue of their legitimate claim for compensation.

He seemingly then framed the rightful claimants as selfish and greedy; while he is the benevolent one wishing “rehabilitation” for all.

Ironically, the current two lead opposition parties, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and the National Unity Platform (NUP), at least some of their few supporters in Teso, are chest thumping and declaring success in forcing the hand of the President, so to speak, with the chant “no cows no vote.”

Assuming it is pressure from FDC and NUP that did it, the President, nevertheless, has outsmarted them. He is now claiming his intervention as him listening to the people and urging (decreeing) accordingly.

The rehabilitation idea has popular grassroots support as opposed to the morally and legally appropriate mechanism that is already in place, the narrative goes.

I wonder the degree to which the President’s urging towards rehabilitation is legally sound and can be legally challenged by the claimants.

Well, in the meantime, war upon the claimants who put up a legal challenge, the President has set you up nice and good in the court of public opinion.

For those, including those descended from our ancestors now rested, who lost herds of cattle during and because of the war, who have not yet been compensated, they must accept the equivalent of five cows!

Same as others, including, presumably, those recently migrated to live in Teso, who did not loose anything, and who are now seemingly also entitled to the equivalent of five cows.

Teso politicians, in a bi-partisan voice, are cautioning Iteso to be united on the matter of cattle rehabilitation.

The master set them up good. If they oppose this seeming illegality, they will loose votes. And so, even though they may oppose it, they will never do so overtly. Until after the 2026 election that is.

The Patriot reports Teso Cattle Compensation Fund was established in order to “compensate war debt claimants for livestock lost during insurgencies in the country.”

And 40% of confirmed claimants in Teso had received compensation totaling 32.2 billion shillings. Meaning, the rightful claimants are known already. What changed?

Are we to truly expect that they who have received partial compensation and are now waiting for the balance, in excess of 10 million shillings are going to accept to be classified as already paid?

Or to receive top up payments for up to five cows?

How is this fair?

After the show and with my light bulb learning moments, I was so energized. I stayed up an hour or so later, on a Sunday, writing this blog. You see, I get supercharged when I read material from which I derive ‘light bulb moments’.