Highlights of Minister Hon. Huda Abason Oleru’s impact as the State Minister for Defence in charge of Veteran Affairs.

Hon Minister Huda Oleru Abason is a leader focused on moving beyond simple compensation to ensure long-term stability for Uganda’s ex-combatants.
Her key achievements include:

1: Clearing Backlogs: She has prioritized the settlement of long-standing pension and gratuity arrears that have historically frustrated retired soldiers.
Economic Empowerment: Instead of just one-off payments, she is pushing for Veterans’ SACCOs and integrating veterans into national programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM) to ensure they have sustainable livelihoods in civilian life.
Civilian-Military Relations: Oleru has used platforms like Tarehe Sita to bridge the gap between the UPDF and the public, emphasizing the military’s role in community development (infrastructure, schools, etc.)
Institutional Reform: Within the Ministry, she is focused on “quiet” but vital administrative fixes, such as modernizing record management to make service delivery more efficient.