Uproar as court denies bail to anti-EACOP activists for third time
The anti-EACOP environmentalists appear before the Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s Court before being returned to Luzira Prison on June 12, 2025. PHOTO/BUSEIN SAMILU
What you need to know:
- Since their arraignment on April 27, the activists’ bail applications have been repeatedly denied.
A Ugandan court on Thursday denied bail to 11 environmental activists for the third time since their arrest in April, sparking outcry from their lawyers and civil society groups.
The activists, most of them university students, were arrested on April 23 while petitioning Kenyan Commercial Bank (KCB) to withdraw financing from the controversial East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). They face charges of criminal trespass and have remained in detention at Luzira prison.
“We have fulfilled all the bail requirements, all our sureties are here with the letters from their respective LC1 and our clients would pray that this honorable court grants them bail,” said their lawyer Samuel Wanda during Thursday's appearance at the Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s Court.
Despite Wanda’s plea, and in the absence of both the main complainant, KCB Bank, and the police officers who made the arrests, the trial magistrate remanded the suspects until June 26.
“We believe this frustration is intentional… There is a witch-hunt in this matter because last time, a high-ranking police officer told us the next time they arrest activists, they will ensure that they stay in jail forever,” Wanda told Monitor after the ruling.
Since their arraignment on April 27, the activists’ bail applications have been repeatedly denied. On May 8, their second attempt failed despite no objection from the state attorney, with the magistrate citing poorly drafted LC1 letters.
A third hearing, scheduled for May 27, did not proceed as the magistrate was absent and prosecutors were attending a symposium.
“This is one of the plots,” Wanda said, alleging a targeted campaign against environmental defenders.
The ruling drew sharp criticism from activists. “These atrocities continue to happen to Environment Human Rights Defenders,” said Eva Kakuru, a legal officer at Youth Green Communities. “They are slapped with criminal charges for exercising their constitutional rights… The Uganda Police has also made it a norm to harass, intimidate, and detain them with impunity.”
The 1,443-kilometre heated EACOP pipeline is being built to transport crude oil from Uganda’s Hoima region to Tanzania’s port of Tanga. The project is led by TotalEnergies (62%), with partners including Uganda’s UNOC (15%), China’s CNOOC (8%), and Tanzania’s TPDC (15%).
In March, EACOP Ltd. secured a first round of financing from five African and Middle Eastern banks, including Standard Bank, Afreximbank, and KCB Group, the latter being the focus of the activists’ April protest.
Critics warn the pipeline poses threats to climate, wildlife, and local communities. The government has dismissed these concerns.
