KAMPALA: The International Court of Justice has ruled that Uganda will pay $325 million (about Shs1.5 trillion) in reparations to DR Congo for fomenting conflict in the Central African country that led to massive loss of lives and property.
Of the $325m, $225 million (about Shs793b) is for loss of life and other damage to persons such as rape, recruitment of child soldiers and the displacement of up to 500,000 people.
Another $40 million (about Shs140b) is for damage to property and $60 million (about Shs211b) is for damage to natural resources, including the plundering of gold, diamonds, timber and other goods by Ugandan forces or rebels they supported.
“The court notes that the reparation awarded to the DRC for damage to persons and to property reflects the harm suffered by individuals and communities as a result of Uganda’s breach of its international obligations,” the court’s president, U.S. judge Joan E. Donoghue, said on Wednesday, February 9, 2022.
However, the money is way below the $11b that DRC had demanded from Kampala.
ICJ in 2005 found Uganda illegally invaded DRC and committed gross violations of human rights and war crimes