Hello

Your subscription is almost coming to an end. Don’t miss out on the great content on Nation.Africa

Ready to continue your informative journey with us?

Hello

Your premium access has ended, but the best of Nation.Africa is still within reach. Renew now to unlock exclusive stories and in-depth features.

Reclaim your full access. Click below to renew.

We’ll not stop protesting against EACOP, youth activists tell govt

Youths activists from the Students Against Eacop Uganda march to parliament during an anti-EACOP demonstration in Kampala on November 11, 2024. PHOTO/BUSEIN SAMILU 

What you need to know:

  • Environmentalists warn that the pipeline could increasing the percentage of global carbon emissions, risking lives. 

Young adult environmental activists under their umbrella body of the Students Against EACOP Uganda have revealed plans to resume their protests against the construction of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) until government and its partners address the concerns associated with the project.

EACOP, which is anticipated to cost the four joint partners including Total energies, China National Offshore Oil Corporation, Uganda National Oil Company and Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation, between $4b and $5b for its construction in the next 17 months, is a key infrastructure which will be used to transport Uganda’s crude oil to Tanzania for exportation.

Speaking to reporters in Kampala on Friday, the youths activists, majority university students, said constructors of the 1443km longest heated pipeline “must act upon grave environmental and social concerns.”

“We were happy to read from Monitor last year that external financers have greatly withdrawn their funding because the equity to debt ratio which was previously 40:60 is now 52:48. We call upon more external financers to withdraw,” Thadeo Yuda Kaye, the association’s national mobiliser said.

Environmentalists warn that the pipeline will transport oil by heating, increasing the percentage of global carbon emissions in the atmosphere triggering life risks and prolonged drought.

By 2025, hundreds of people had already been displaced by EACOP works across the East African bloc.

“Oil companies have since promised to compensate the victims but testimonies that we found on ground during our field visit in December revealed otherwise as the process is biased and dictatorial in nature,” Kaye claimed.

Energy Minister Ruth Nankabirwa, who disputed the environmentalists’ claims, told reporters on January 2, that EACOP is unstoppable.

“The increment in equity to debt ratio is aimed at ensuring that the project continues,” she observed.

Meanwhile, Kampala metropolitan deputy police spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire warned that “law enforcers will be on standby to stop any protest.”

Anti-EACOP activists appear in the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate's Court dock last year. PHOTO/FILE/BUSEIN SAMILU 


On Wednesday, at least 15 activists belonging to Students Against EACOP Uganda reappeared before the Buganda Road court. Grated bail on December 10, 2024, the 15 activists had been detained a month earlier at Parliament.

Background

Between May and November last year, Students Against EACOP Uganda organised four massive anti-EACOP protests in the city resulting into arrest of 113 of their members who were later released.

The first protests which did not involve any arrest took place on May 29 when 15 youths activists marched with a petition to Parliament. These, who did not see the speaker were later ushered in and delivered their petition.

On June 26, a total of 30 activists were arrested at the Chinese Embassy in in Kampala after marching to deliver a petition asking Beijing to halt financing EACOP.

Fifty activists and two drivers were arrested on August 9, when two three taxis they were travelling in were towed on Jinja road enroute from Kyambogo.

These had planned to march to the Parliament. Two of their colleagues who managed to escape demonstrated and were arrested.

More 18 protesters were arrested on August 26, 2024 as they marched to Uganda’s energy ministry headquarters.

The other protests were held by anti-EACOP demonstrators on November 11 at the start of the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku Azerbaijan.

Humphrey Oundo, one of the protesters said they will not back down until government and its partners do the right thing.

Oundo and his colleagues will reappear before the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court on February 19.