Why police nabbed Anti-EACOP activists at Parliament
Police at Parliament arresting an environmental youth activist from Extinction Rebellion Justice Movement Uganda at Parliament on March 19. PHOTO/Busein Samilu
What you need to know:
Chanting their slogan, "Stop EACOP", the group of over 30 youths marched from the National Theatre along Parliamentary Avenue toward the Parliament main gate
Police at Parliament arrested a group of youth environmental activists from the Extinction Rebellion Justice Movement Uganda on Wednesday, March 19, as they were marching to Parliament to protest the ongoing construction of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP).
Chanting their slogan, "Stop EACOP", the group of over 30 youths marched from the National Theatre along Parliamentary Avenue toward the Parliament main gate. However, before they could reach their destination, police officers guarding the House began arresting them.
While most of the activists fled, four individuals—whose identities have not yet been confirmed—were arrested and taken away in a waiting police patrol car.
Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police Spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire confirmed the arrests, stating that the suspects would be charged in court.
“We have four suspects in custody, and we will charge them with common nuisance. Upon completion of our ongoing investigations, we will present them in court either today or tomorrow,” Owoyesigyire said.
He explained that the activists held an unlawful procession without notifying the police, which led officers to intervene and prevent potential chaos in the city.
These arrests come less than two weeks after 11 youths from Students Against EACOP Uganda were arrested and charged while marching to the EU embassy to protest the EACOP project.
The Activists' Petition
According to their official social media platform, the Extinction Rebellion Justice Movement Uganda consists of youths from various universities in Uganda who are advocating for climate justice and civic rights through civil disobedience.
In their petition to the Speaker of Parliament, Ms Among, the activists—comprising citizens, students, environmentalists, and climate justice advocates—are demanding the immediate end to fossil fuel subsidies in Uganda, which they claim benefit international oil companies involved in the EACOP project.
“The government continues to offer financial incentives, tax exemptions, and direct support to fossil fuel companies, including foreign corporations such as TotalEnergies, which is behind the controversial East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). Meanwhile, ordinary Ugandans are struggling with poverty, unemployment, high fuel prices, and climate-related disasters like floods, droughts, and extreme weather,” the petition reads.
The petition also highlights the environmental impact of fossil fuels: “Fossil fuels are the biggest cause of climate change. When oil, gas, and coal are burned, they release carbon dioxide and other gases that trap heat in the atmosphere. This causes global warming, leading to droughts, floods, and other extreme weather conditions.”
EACOP Project
The EACOP, which activists describe as a major example of fossil fuel harm, is a 1,443 km heated pipeline being constructed from Hoima in Uganda to Tanga in Tanzania. The pipeline will transport Uganda’s crude oil, expected to be extracted from the Tilenga and Kingfisher fields in Hoima and Kikuube districts starting in 2027.
The project is being developed by four partners: TotalEnergies, which owns 62 percent, China National Oil Corporation (CNOOC) with 8 percent, and Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) and Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC), each holding 15 percent.
According to the activists' petition, “EACOP is already displacing more than 100,000 people in Uganda and Tanzania, forcing them to leave their homes and farmland. Many of these people have not been fully compensated and are now struggling to survive.”
They also note, “Despite all this damage, TotalEnergies and other foreign companies will take most of the profits from Uganda’s oil, leaving local communities with little to nothing.”
Government’s Response
The government has repeatedly downplayed the activists' claims, insisting that a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was conducted before any work began.
Despite ongoing protests, the government maintains that the EACOP project, which is central to Uganda’s oil development plans, is irreversible.
Earlier this year, Energy Minister Ruth Nankabirwa assured the public that civil works on the pipeline were continuing as scheduled in both Uganda and Tanzania.
By January, she reported that 1,100 km of pipeline had been delivered to Tanzania, out of the total 1,443 km required. Key milestones, such as the completion of the thermal insulation plant in Tanzania and the delivery of insulated line pipes, have been achieved.
The project’s funding is split between 52 percent equity and 48 percent debt, which, according to the minister, has kept the work progressing as planned.
“Land acquisition for EACOP on both the Tanzanian and Ugandan sides has progressed to 99 percent, indicating the meticulous process undertaken, with any emerging issues being addressed through the established grievance management mechanism,” she said.
