By Rajab Bwengye Yusufu (Senior Programs Manager-Community Green Radio, Oil and gas Governance -NAPE)
Africa is known as the World’s richest in terms of Natural resources. These include forests, wetlands, minerals, wild animals, fertile soils, lakes and rivers plus other magnificent land forms therefore, why the continent has remained as a habitat for the World’s poor has never been an issue of depravity of natural resources. Africa’s oil belt lies mainly along its Western coast in the countries abutting the Gulf of Guinea. “One third of the world’s new discoveries of oil since 2000 have taken place in Africa,” with rich oil deposits in Nigeria, Equatorial guinea, Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Garbon ,Sudan, Chad,Ghana,Cameroon, Libya standing out as African Oil power economies.
The recent discoveries of huge oil deposits in East African countries of Uganda and Kenya confirm the dominance of Africa, as far as endowment of natural resources is concerned. East Africa will in the few years host the world’s longest crude Oil pipeline snaking from Hoima district to the Tanzanian coast port of Tanga covering 1443 Sq kms, making record as the ever longest heated oil and gas pipeline ever constructed on earth.
From North, through Central to South, to West and now east, the continent is richly endowed with natural resources. The East African region has been the last frontier. However, the indigenous inhabitants of the land upon which the mineral discoveries are made have witnessed massive disruption, pollution, land grabbing, corruption, human rights abuse and insecurity; these consequences have been felt all over the African continent.
In North Africa, the Arab spring that started in Tunisia, Egypt, through Libya and now biting North and South Sudan has exposed the danger that can accompany petrol dollars; the creation of deep seated aristocracies built out of oil wealth. All the above oil rich nations have ended up in civil strife resulting into death of millions of innocent people as the wealthy and political elites scramble for power.
Estimates of the death toll in the current Sudan conflict vary, but some sources suggest it has reached at least 150,000 people. The conflict, which began in April 2023, has also displaced over 11 million people within Sudan and at least 3.5 million across borders.
People who fled the Zamzam camp for the internally displaced after it fell under RSF control, rest in a makeshift encampment in an open field near the town of Tawila in war-torn Sudan’s western Darfur region on April 13, 2025. https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/people-who-fled-the-zamzam-camp-for-the-internally-news-photo/2209632149?adppopup=true.
The high death toll is partially attributed to the ongoing fighting between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, as well as the resulting humanitarian crisis. Reports indicate a significant increase in deaths from starvation and disease due to the conflict’s impact on food supplies and healthcare access according to a study by the London school of Hygiene and tropical medicine.
In Central Africa, DRC has never known peace despite rich natural resource endowment. Oil, copper, gold constitute the denominator figure in the equation and currently the country is being torn apart by armed conflicts in the mineral rich Eastern Province. Through the ongoing conflicts between the Congolese government and M23 rebels, more than 2000 people have already been killed and the eastern regional cities of Goma, Bukavu devastated leading to a huge refugee crisis in the region according to UN reports.
In West Africa, political instability has been the order of the day mainly due to Oil mining by Royal Shell. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (“MEND”) is, for example, one of the largest militant groups; it claims to expose exploitation and oppression of the people by Federal Government of Nigeria and Oil corporations involved in the extraction of oil in the Niger Delta led by Royal Dutch energy Giant –Shell .
In East Africa, there are all signs that poor governance of the oil resource is the biggest challenge that is befalling Uganda’s oil dollar fortunes in the Albertine rift. East Africans in Kenya and Tanzania should, therefore, be wary. Lest the trend comes calling.
In Kenya for example, Oil in 2007 was discovered in Sibiloi National Park the South Island and the Central Island National Parks located in the Lake Turkana Basin-North Kenya. The area was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1997 due to being inhabited by diverse fauna. Mining this oil means violation of the world heritage convention adopted by UNESCO in 1972.
• In Tanzania, there is off shore mapping of oil and gas deposits in the deeper continental shelf –The Indian Ocean Coast by The Norwegian Company Statoil Hydro which signed a PSA, in April 2007, on Block II offshore and now , the East African crude pipeline (EACOP) project will in Tanzania alone tranverse 7 regions and twenty-three (23) Districts, namely, Missenyi, Bukoba, Muleba, Biharamulo, Chato, Geita, Mbogwe, Bukombe, Kahama, Nzega, Igunga, Iramba, Mkalama, Singida, Kondoa, Chemba, Hanang, Kiteto, Kilindi, Handeni, Korogwe, Muheza, and Tanga, and cover a distance of one thousand one hundred forty-seven (1,147) kilometres. The thirty (30) metre-wide corridor running for one thousand, one hundred, forty-seven (1,147) km, plus the land-take of the four (4) pump stations, two (2) pressure reduction stations, the marine storage terminal, the twelve (12) camps and the thermal insulation facility will take up ten thousand eighty-one (10,081) acres. This will affect a total of nine thousand five hundred thirteen (9,513) people – the PAPs. More importantly, the Tanzanian coastline that will also be partly affected is covered by Rich Mangrove forest that are breeding places of many land animal and bird species
In Uganda/Democratic Republic of Congo, there is Oil exploration in Virunga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to some of the world’s critically endangered mountain gorillas and across in Uganda , the building of 2 central Processing facilities (CPFs both in Tilenga and Kingfisher Oil fields, drilling of over 426 wells (200 water injector wells,196 oil producer wells, 2 polymer pilot wells and 28 reference wells) , a green oil refinery plant seated on 28 Sq km land in Kabaale-Hoima District and a 1443 km long heated oil and gas pipeline traversing the East african region from Uganda (hoima) to the Indian coast port of Tanga in Tanzania all violate national, regional and international laws ,guidelines and frameworks for biodiversity protection.
Ugandan law and regional African agreements including the Ugandan constitution Article 26 that gives land owners exclusive rights over their land until they are adequately compensated or resettled,
Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community: The EACOP project violates the spirit and letter of Articles 5 (3) (c), 8(1) (c), 111 (1) (b) & (d), 111 (1) & (2), and 114 (1) of the Treaty for the Establishment of The East African Community (EAC) on the protection of the environment. The above articles obligate the EAC partner states to mutually cooperate in the environmental field.
Protocol for Sustainable Development of Lake Victoria: Under Articles 4,5,12, 13 and 14 of the Protocol for Sustainable Development of Lake Victoria a 1999 regional requirement developed by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda to fairly and effectively manage the resources of Lake Victoria.
Violating protected areas, such as World Heritage and Ramsar sites: For instance, EACOP’s proposed route will negatively impact a number of protected areas, including the Ngorongoro National Park, a World Heritage site, as well as the Murchison Falls-Albert Delta Wetland System, a designated Ramsar site
Violating the Paris Agreement: As a fossil fuel project with significant estimated emissions, EACOP will also violate the Paris Agreement, of which China, Tanzania, and Uganda have signed.
Violating the free, prior, informed consent rights and best practices of Indigenous and affected communities along the EACOP right of way.
Violating Chinese guidelines for Green Development in Overseas Investment and Cooperation which obligate Chinese companies to “to conduct environmental assessments and due diligence for a proposed project in accordance with international practices to identify potential environmental risks” as well as “push for prevention of ecological risks”.
Violating Chinese guidelines for Ecological Environmental Protection in Foreign Investment Cooperation and Construction Projects which obligates Chinese entities to conduct biodiversity surveys, and if high biodiversity risks are identified, the company must justify its decision for the project site and consider alternative locations(Article 6).
Lastly EACOP further violates China’s List of Sensitive Sectors for Overseas Investment, published in 2018 by China’s National Development and Reform Commission by affecting Lake Victoria and likely breeding potential for water use and management related conflicts between Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and Democratic Republic of Congo over usage of transboundary water bodies of Victoria and L .Albert
And it is further important to note that due to the violation of local laws and international norms, any Chinese bank involved in EACOP would likely violate key Chinese bank regulatory policies, such as the 2012 Green Credit Guidelines, 2014 Key Performance Indicators on Green Credit and the new 2022 Green Finance Guidelines The implication of this is that any Chinese bank that is found to be connected to CPP and the EACOP project would also fail to comply with relevant Chinese bank policies.
Accordingly, all the above injustices justify why dirty energy fossils promotion in East Africa, in Africa and anywhere in the world should be fought at all cost.
The Writer works with National Association of Professional Environmentalists (NAPE) and also coordinates the Oil Watch Africa (OWA) in Uganda.
The East African Crude Oil Pipeline project has had numerous negative effects on the social, economic and environmental set up of the respective communities.
The women, however, have taken and continue to take the biggest share of these impacts.
Adverse impacts include the disruption of family and social life; the increased risks to health and safety, especially in terms of domestic and sexual violence; environmental degradation; as well as changing access to and control over land and livelihoods.
“We are experiencing high crime rates in our community such as land wrangles, we lack hospitals and there are high rates of school drop outs of children since they want to benefit from the project:, said Ms. Joy Kyalimpa, a resident of Kihoko Village in Buhimba Sub county in Kikuube District western Uganda.
Ms. Kyalimpa, a single mother of three, says that the implications for women and girls’ health and safety resulting from the in-migration of large numbers of mostly men seeking project employment and other opportunities have resulted into school drop outs and high crime rates in their communities.
Annet Kasoro from Kabaale village in Buseruka Sub County Hoima District says she has felt the pain of resettlement when her land was taken in 2017.
She says her community was promised electricity, water, and access to markets and while the electricity poles were built there is no electricity.
The women made the revelation on Community Green radio when they appeared for a program early June this year. The show was one of those that the radio organizes with a purpose of amplifying the voice of the vulnerable rural women, especially those affected by oil and gas related infrastructures like the EACOP.
Ssembatya Asuman the Nabulembeko parish LC2 chairperson in Kyankwanzi district , who appeared on the show with the women, appealed to government to expedite the process of compensation do help avert the suffering of the women and the communities in general. He promised to lobby government to provide more social amenities like water and health to the communities affected by the EACOP.
The chairperson commended Community Green radio for their continuous efforts in providing a voice to the voiceless.
STORY COMPILED BY JULIUS KYAMANYWA AND JOAN NANTEZA
There are growing concerns over the adverse impacts of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline, EACOP. Community member residing and working along the pipeline say there are visible changes in climatic pertains that they attribute to the pipeline.
Ms.Annet Kasoro a community member from Kabaale village in Buseruka Sub county Hoima district says the traditionally known farming seasons are increasingly changing. She says this is making it hard for them to plan for seasons accordingly.
“We have seen heavy rains come at a time we expect sunshine and vice-versa. There huge winds that ever known in this area,” Ms.Kasoro explained.
Ms.Kasoro adds that the massive cutting down of trees to create way for the pipeline and the use of chemicals in the installation of pipes are a danger to the environment and climate stability.
“We do not have enough food for our families since farming is now hard. Our crops are destroyed by the too much heat because of the chemicals used and the unregulated cutting down of tree to create the pipe path”, Kasoro said.
Mrs.Kasoro and other community members raised the concerns during the meeting held in Buseruka Sub County with National Association of Professional Environmentalists {NAPE} in their outreach in the EACOP affected areas.
Ms. Balondemu Spetuma of Kabaale Village also explained that there is a danger of water scarcity in the areas. She explained that almost all water sources are getting drained and thus making it hard to obtain water for domestic use.
“It is now to get water to use at home. Most of our wells are dry and we are now trekking ling distances to fetch water for domestic us”, she narrated.
Mr. Rajabu Bwengye Yusufu, the coordinator of Projects at NAPE and the Community Green Radio assured the community members of continued support through such engagements and provision of a platform on the community Green radio for the EACOP affected members of the community to air their concerns
The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) is a mega project intended to transport crude oil from Kabaale in Hoima district, western part of Uganda to Tanga port in Tanzania with over 1443km long .It seemed to be a beneficial project to the natives but they say it’s more of a cures than a blessing since it benefits a few individuals.
STORY COMPILED BY JOAN NANTEZA
The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) has increasingly become a major pull factor for masses, especially from deep rural areas to trading centers in anticipation of more opportunities associate with the project.
Ms Biingi Kamiyat from Kaseeta village in Buseruka sub county Hoima district in western Uganda says the area is now occupied with new residents from unknown places and this has resulted into insecurity in the area.
“Acts such land grabbing, defilement and theft are so rampant in our village which makes us unsecure “, said Ms.Biingi during an interview with our reporter during a community outreach.
Ms Biingi further explained that the situation has been escalating ever since the discovery of oil with many locals losing their land to the powerful individuals.
“Many members of our community have migrated for the sake of their peace and security and those that have remained are feeling insecure, she said.
The revealations were made during the consultative outreach meeting with EACOP affected communities in Buseruka Sub county Hoima district by the National Association of Professional Environmentalists, NAPE.
Ms.Annet Kasoro from in Buseruka Sub County also narrated the agony they go through resulting from the repeated trespasses through their gardens that comes with crops and food destructions,
“Our gardens are invaded during drilling processes and several crops destroyed. This is causing danger to our lives as it leads to food insecurity, she explained.
Unfortunately, we’ve not got received sufficient support from our leaders about this matter; we need clear information about what can be done to address the issues
The community members appreciated NAPE and the community Green Radio for their continuous support, especially providing a platform to share their ordeals and ensuring that they are heard wide and far.
The East African Crude Oil Pipeline Project (EACOP) is a pipeline that will transport oil produced from Uganda’s Lake Albert oilfields to the port of Tanga in Tanzania where the oil will then be sold onwards to world markets. The pipeline is buried and once topsoil and vegetation have been re-instated people and animals will be able to cross freely anywhere along its length.
COMPILED BY JOAN NANTEZA
Social and economic lives of communities affected by the East African Crude Oil Pipeline, EACOP continue to dwindle due to delayed compensation and what community members term as inadequate compensation.
This revelation was made during an exchange meeting for EACOP affected communities held at Atkon Hotel in Kiboga Town on 11 June. The meeting organized by the National Association of Professional Environments, NAPE and attracted several women who were affected by EACOP from Hoima, Kikuube, Kiboga and Kyankwanzi districts.
“When the project was being introduced to the communities, they promised it would bring positive changes, development and prosperity. Now we are seeing the reverse of what was promised,” explained Mrs. Lucy Mbubi from Butimba in Kikuube district.
Ms. AnnaMary Kityo from Kikajjo village in Nabulembeko Parish Kyankwanzi District says even the little compensation that was got left families cracked and others completely broken.
“When we got money, husbands abandoned families for trading centers and married new wives. We were left as heads of families”, she narrated.
Ms.Nabagesera Brenda from Lwanda village in Kiboga Sub County in Kiboga district also shares a similar ordeal:
“When money came, we could no longer see husbands at home. We became full time heads of households. Life has become so difficult now”, she narrated, seemingly stressed.
For Ms.Janet Balondemu from Hoima district, the quality of houses built for those who opted for relocation were of poor quality and standard characterized by unreliable and poor sanitary facilities.
The women from the EACOP affected areas are appealing to NAPE for more exchange visits and advocacy so as to share challenges but also get their plight known to stakeholders far and wide.
Mr.Rajab Bwengye, the coordinator of projects at NAPE reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to continued community engagements to minimize on the challenges being faced by communities affected by the EACOP. He appealed to community members to utilize the available spaces like the Community Green Radio to amplify their voices.
The East African Crude Oil Pipeline Project (EACOP) is a pipeline that will transport oil produced from Uganda’s Lake Albert oilfields to the port of Tanga in Tanzania where the oil will then be sold onwards to world markets. The pipeline is buried and once topsoil and vegetation have been re-instated people and animals will be able to cross freely anywhere along its length.
EACOP runs 1,443km from Kabaale, Hoima district in Uganda to the Chongoleani Peninsula near Tanga Port in Tanzania. 80% of the pipeline is in Tanzania. It is a buried thermally insulated 24″ pipeline along with six pumping stations (two in Uganda and four in Tanzania) ending at Tanga with a Terminal and Jetty. Here crude oil will be loaded onto tankers.
STORY COMPILED BY GERALD SSENKOOMI
Ms.Jane Nakinobe, a 38-year-old mother of five and a resident of Kiyuni village, Mulagi Sub County in Kyankwanzi District, narrates how she worked with her husband to acquire land that was but later she was betrayed after compensation.
“I had a lot of excitement when l heard that we were to be compensated but unfortunately l was wrong because sorrow and pain begun after “, she narrated to this website seemingly devastated.
Ms.Nakinobe, now a single mother says they were among the people that received all their compensation money husband, Peter Ssempijja disappeared with it.
“Raising my children as a single has been one of the hardest tasks since the land for cultivation was taken by the government after compensation”, she explains.
She has since resorted to bottle picking and washing people’s clothes to earn the little for her children’s survival.
Ms.Nakinobe lives in a poor financial state that even taking her children to school is hard.
“I only get peanuts from the work that do, seeing my children at home during school time breaks me down as a mother “she said with tears in her face.
The little earnings Ms.Nakinobe gets from the work she does can only provide food and rent for her and her children.
Ms.Nakinobe hasn’t been able to get justice. When she tried involving leaders about the matter, he efforts stalled along the way since it required a lot of money to follow up which she didn’t have.
Ms.Nakinobe is not the only one in this situation since most of the men decide to disappear after being compensated.
However, Denis Kakungulu the chairman of Kiyuni village, seemed unware when asked about the matter of men disappearing with money after compensation without the consent of their wives.He however pledged to work with Ms.Nakinobe and other victims so as justice can be served, He also called upon other women in the same situation to come out for help.
Samuel Mugisa the Social Affairs Officer at the Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU) recently told this website that compensations are still ongoing and that those who have not yet been paid will be paid.
The Minister of Energy and Mineral Development Dr. Ruth Nankabirwa noted that 95% of the displaced people have been resettled, despite the difficulties in paying landowners in Uganda, where land ownership is perpetual.
Story compiled by Joannie Nteza
Dozens of people including university students from Makerere, Kampala international and Kyambogo were arrested at the end of May this year during a peaceful protest against the East African crude oil pipeline project EACOP near Lugogo Bypass, Nakawa Division in Kampala City.
The aim for this peaceful protest was intended to demand KCB bank to withdraw its financial support from the project since to them it involves violation of human and environmental rights.
The EACOP project stretches from Kabaale in Hoima District of western Uganda to Tanga port in Tanzania. It is intended to transport crude oil from Uganda’s Albertine region to Tanga port in Tanzania and it will be the longest heated crude oil pipeline in the world once it’s done.
KCB bank is one of the funders that have continuously financed the project despite it being deemed by activists as dangerous to the environment and people.
The protesters included Shafick Karyango, a representative of students against EACOP, Habib Karungu,Shamim Nalwadda,Kyosimire, JoweriaTopista ,Nakyambadde and Bernad Mutenyo who, by the time of filing this story, were still detained at the old Kira road police division in Kampala city.
“The government claims that we are sponsored by foreign entities which is not right, our families are victims of this project”, explained Mr. Shafick Karyango
Kampala metropolitan police spokesperson Patrick onyango explained to the press that the protest was illegal and it had not secured clearance from the inspector general of police (IGP).
It should also be noted that this is not the first group to protest against this project since many people have fallen victims to this matter.
Despite several protests and warnings from the environmental and human rights activists, the government has not been moved nor its financial funders like KCB total energies among others.
Compiled by Joannie Nteza
April, 8th 2025
EVICTED, DISPLACED, AND DENIED JUSTICE:
A TRAGIC STORY OFAGABA AND UGANDA’S OIL-AFFECTED COMMUNITIES –THE CASE OF TILENGA & EAST AFRICA CRUDE OIL PIPELINE (EACOP)
On 3rd March, 2025, Mr. Chrispas Andrew Agaba Katushabe stood amidst the rubble that was once his home, his family scattered, his children left without shelter, and his future uncertain. His eviction was not just a personal tragedy, it was a symbol of the deep injustices faced by the many Ugandan families displaced by TotalEnergies’ Tilenga and EACOP oil projects.
Agaba’s fate was sealed by a series of court rulings that prioritised corporate and government interests over the rights of ordinary citizens. It all began on 4th December, 2023, when the government of Uganda rushed to file a case against 42 families at the High Court in Hoima. Within just four days, on 8th December, 2023, Justice Jesse Byaruhanga ruled against these families, granting the government orders that effectively erased their ownership rights:
i. The government was allowed to deposit inadequate compensation money in court, despite the fact that the families had rejected it for being unfair and inadequate.
ii. The ruling sanctioned the eviction of the affected families without them first receiving any compensation.
iii. The government was granted the right to demolish their houses and seize their land.
iv. Most disturbingly, the ruling absolved the government of any further liability regarding meted on the affected families.
For Agaba and many others, this was not just a loss of property, it was a brutal violation of their constitutional rights. Uganda’s Article 26 of the Constitution explicitly states that no person can be deprived of their land without fair and adequate compensation being paid first. Yet, despite this, the government rushed forward with their eviction plans, invoking Section 6 of the 1965 Land Acquisition Act – a colonial-era law that was historically used to dispossess Ugandans of their land.
As Agaba’s family fought to protect their home, the government intensified its attack. On 10th January, 2025, they filed another application at the Hoima High Court, seeking demolition orders against Agaba. Even before Agaba’s lawyers could receive official notice of the ruling, the government had already destroyed his home and thrown his family out onto the “streets”.
This act of forced eviction was not just illegal, it was inhumane. It disregarded the dignity and survival of the most vulnerable: the poor, women, children, and the elderly, who were left to fend for themselves without food, shelter, or support. It revealed a judiciary that had surrendered to political pressure, allowing the government to illegally amend Uganda’s Constitutionthroughthebackdoor.
While cases filed by the government are heard and decided in just four days, cases filed by oil- affected families, some dating back to 2014, continue to rot in court, ignored and unresolved. This is not justice. Justice delayed is justice denied.
Agaba’s story is not unique. Across Uganda’s oil-rich regions, families are being forcibly displaced, their land grabbed, their homes demolished, and their futures destroyed, all in the name of oil extraction. The promise of development has turned into a nightmare for those who once lived peacefully on their ancestral land.
But the fight is far from over. Agaba and many others are determined to seek justice. We are working with Agaba and all those who are suffering oil injustice to:
1) File a case at the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) to challenge these injustices at a regional level.
2) File a complaint with the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) to hold the government accountable for these violations.
3) We are working with the communities in Buliisa and beyond to construct a temporary
house for Agaba’s family to live as we support him to fight his rights and get justice,
4) We call upon the public to contribute anything possible to support Agaba to feed his children, keep his children in school and ensure they get health services,
5) We shall support Agaba to petition international stakeholders such as the European Union in Uganda, American Embassy and international bodies that believe in human rights,
6) Agaba will be supported to petition the World bank and other financial institutions not to fund the EACOP and Tilenga projects to stop human rights violations,
7) Further, Agaba will be supported to petition the Chief Justice to ensure that cases filed by the oil affected people are heard as a matter of urgency,
8) We shall work with Agaba and other oil affected people to write to the East African Community Secretary General and the Speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) to intervene and ensure that the EACOP case at the EACJ is fast-tracked to ensure that East Africans get justice and live in dignity.
These are just the first steps. We will continue to explore all legal and non legal avenues to ensure
that the voices of Uganda’s oil-affected communities are heard and that justice is served.
Uganda’s Judiciary Must Choose: Justice or Complicity?
The Ugandan judiciary must decide whether it will stand with the people and the Constitution or continue to serve as a tool for powerful interests. Article 2 of the Constitution is clear: any law that contradicts the Constitution is null and void. The courts cannot continue to rubber-stamp the government’s illegal land grabs hiding under the cover of colonial laws of 1965. Its absurd that for over two years the Constitutional Court of Uganda has failed to decide the case regarding the constitutionality of Section 6 of the Land Acquisition Act of 1965.
The world is watching. The people of Uganda will not be silenced. The fight for justice continues.
This statement is signed by the following organizations who are working to ensure that oil affected people get justice:
SIGNATORIES
National Association of Professional Environmentalists (NAPE)
Africa Institute for Energy Governance (AFIEGO)
Uganda National Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Alliance (UNREEEA)
Centre for Sustainability Innovation and Research (CSIR)
Center for Citizens Conserving Environment and Management (CECIC)
Fridays for Future- Uganda (FFF)
Toro Initiative for Socio-economic Development
Guild Presidents Forum on Governance (GPFOG)
International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)
Uganda Community Tourism Association (UCOTA)
Agro-Tourism Association (ATA)
Strategic Response for Environment Conservation (STREC)
Civic Response on Environment and Development (CRED)
Lake Albert Children and Women Advocacy Development Organization (LACWADO)
Navigators of Development Association (NAVODA)
Friends with Environment in Development (FED)
Youth for Green Communities (YGC)
Women for Green Economy Movement (WoGEM)
Tasha Research Institute Africa
African Initiative on Food Security and Environment (AIFE)
Eastern and Southern Africa Small-scale Farmers’ Forum (ESAFF)
Food Rights Alliance (FRA)
Environment Governance Institute (EGI)
Center for Conservation and Ecoenergy Initiative (CCEI)
Oil and Gas Residents’ Association (ORGHA)
East African Crude Oil Pipeline Host Communities (EACOPHC)
Oil Refinery Residents Association (ORRA)
Center for Environmental for Research and Agriculture Innovation (CERAI)
South Western Institute for Policy and Advocacy (SOWIPA)
Initiative for Green Planet (IGP)
Youth for Nature Conservancy (YNC)
Liberty Probono Initiative (LPI)
Activists for Climate Initiative (ACI)
Kasese Women’s Group
Youth Concern on Environment and Development (YCED)
By Rajab Bwengye-NAPE
Africa is known as the World’s richest in terms of Natural resources. These include forests, wetlands, minerals, wild animals, fertile soils, lakes and rivers plus other magnificent land forms therefore, why the continent has remained as a habitat for the World’s poor has never been an issue of depravity of natural resources.
The recent discoveries of oil in East Africa confirm the dominance of Africa, as far as endowment of natural resources is concerned. From North, through Central to South; to West and now east, the continent is richly endowed with natural resources. The East African region has been the last frontier. However, the indigenous inhabitants of the land upon which the discovery is made have expressed fear of disruption, pollution, land grabbing, corruption, human rights abuse and insecurity; these consequences have been felt all over the continent.
In North Africa, the Arab spring that started in Tunisia, Egypt, through Libya and now biting Sudan (Noth and South), Syria has exposed the danger that can accompany petrol dollars; the creation of deep seated aristocracies built out of oil wealth. All the above oil rich nations ended up in civil strife.
In Central Africa, DRC has never known peace despite rich natural resource endowment. Oil, copper, gold constitute the denominator figure in the equation.
In West Africa, political instability has been the order of the day mainly due to Oil mining by Royal Shell. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (“MEND”) is, for example, one of the largest militant groups; it claims to expose exploitation and oppression of the people by Federal Government of Nigeria and Oil corporations involved in the extraction of oil in the Niger Delta
In East Africa, there are all signs that poor governance of the oil resource is the biggest challenge that is befalling Uganda’s oil dollar fortunes in the Albertine rift. East Africans in Kenya and Tanzania should, therefore, be wary. Lest the trend comes calling.
Sudan, both North and South, Somalia and Eritrea are already in serious internal conflict; revolving around resource sharing and political machinations. In addition to the above , Oil extraction in the Eastern part of the continent will, in the near future, wreck important ecosystems because oil extractions are being operated in ecologically sensitive zones .
• In Kenya for example, Oil in 2007 was discovered in Sibiloi National Park the South Island and the Central Island National Parks located in the Lake Turkana Basin-North Kenya. The area was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1997 due to being inhabited by diverse fauna.
• In Tanzania, there is off shore mapping of oil and gas deposits in the deeper continental shelf –The Indian Ocean Coast by The Norwegian Company Statoil Hydro which signed a PSA, in April 2007, on Block II offshore and now , the East African crude pipeline (EACOP) project will in Tanzania alone tranverse 7 regions and twenty-three (23) Districts, namely, Missenyi, Bukoba, Muleba, Biharamulo, Chato, Geita, Mbogwe, Bukombe, Kahama, Nzega, Igunga, Iramba, Mkalama, Singida, Kondoa, Chemba, Hanang, Kiteto, Kilindi, Handeni, Korogwe, Muheza, and Tanga, and cover a distance of one thousand one hundred forty-seven (1,147) kilometres. The thirty (30) metre-wide corridor running for one thousand, one hundred, forty-seven (1,147) km, plus the land-take of the four (4) pump stations, two (2) pressure reduction stations, the marine storage terminal, the twelve (12) camps and the thermal insulation facility will take up ten thousand eighty-one (10,081) acres. This will affect a total of nine thousand five hundred thirteen (9,513) people – the PAPs. . More importantly, the Tanzanian coastline that will also be partly affected is covered by Rich Mangrove forest that are breeding places of many land animal and bird species
• In Uganda/Democratic Republic of Congo, there is Oil exploration in Virunga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to some of the world’s critically endangered mountain gorillas.
There is also Oil extraction activities mainly Development of a CPF with capacity to process 190,000 barrels of oil and 700,000 of total liquid per day, Drilling of over 426 wells (200 water injector wells,196 oil producer wells, 2 polymer pilot wells and 28 reference wells) planned to be drilled on 31 well pads, Over 160 kilometrers of flow lines which will transport crude oil and water from the wells to the Central processing facility (CPF) in bullisa at Kasenyi village, 95 km 24 inch feeder pipelines which will transport processed crude oil from the CPF in buliisa to the Export hub and Green oil refinery plant seated on 28 Sq km land in Kabaale-Hoima District and a 1443 km long heated oil and gas pipeline traversing the East african region from Uganda (hoima) to the Indian coast port of Tanga in Tanzania .
These are messing up the biodiversity rich Albertine graben a known world heritage of Flora and Fauna displacing thousands of communities and perpetuating the following environmnental and social economic challenges;
Signing in Darkness –“A community Member-Ms Nyamahungye showing how she was cheated off her land in Buliisa by Oil companies after signing land acquisition documents for the Buliisa based feeder oil pipelines she did not understand”.
“The Consent form has a disclaimer “This Consent form is made in compliance with the requirements to secure the consent of the land owners under section 135 of the Petroleum Act. It shall be signed by the landlord only as evidence of such mandatory consent .It is not and must not be taken as notice of intended use, acquisition or purchase of the described land by TEBU nor does it entitle the land owner to any payment or form of compensation .Any such claim based primarily on endorsement of this consent shall be disregarded”
All the above injustices justify why dirty energy fossils promotion in East Africa, in Africa and any where in the world should be fought at all cost.
The writer is the Sustainability School & Community Green Radio Program Manager -NAPE
National Association of Professional Environmentalists (NAPE) joined the rest of the world to commemorate International Day of Rural Women by running a special program dubbed “special rural woman” on its Community Green Radio.
The program was intended to celebrate the rural women’s contribution by giving them a platform to amplify their voices on challenges, successes and inspirations encountered in taking part in development.
The International Day of Rural Women recognizes the critical roles and contributions of rural women in enhancing agriculture and rural development, food security and nutrition, and eradicating rural poverty. The 2024 International Day of Rural Women invites all stakeholders to celebrate the rural women’s essential role in building climate resilience, conserving the biodiversity and caring for the land.
UN Women’s latest research estimate that globally, climate change may push up to 158 million more women and girls into poverty and 236 million more women and girls into food insecurity by 2050.
During the program, the women noted that natural resources and livelihoods are being depleted and rural women’s ability to safely secure healthy food, clean energy and water has diminished.
Margret Nassiwa, a resident of Kasimbi Village in Mulagi Sub County in Kiboga district says unpaid for work such as cooking, cleaning, fetching water and firewood, and taking care of the children and other family members give women less time to go for paid labour and end up having only one option as agriculture as source of employment.
However, their efforts to be economically empowered in farming are still frustrated by cultural norms that put men at the center of everything who end up owning and selling the crops grown by women yet they(women) do all the laborious agricultural work.
The women highlighted that despite the fact that rural women play indispensable role in the area of food security, poverty eradication and rural development in general, they still face great challenges such as limited ownership, control and access to land due to patriarchy that increases the poverty level margin.
Rose Kunihira a rural woman who has been involved in farming since 2001 after marriage says the challenges she faces as a rural farmer range from limited land that she acquired after losing her husband in 2007 to unproductive land due to loss of soil fertility.
“As a single mother of two, I raise my children through farming but as a rural farmer, I lack access to information provided to other farmers, I pray to be empowered through financing to acquire more land” Kunihira laments.
Kate Kobusingye says though farming is vital for rural women, they are barred by the high costs incurred to buy inputs for their crops because of the modern seeds that need fertilizers yet most of the soils have become poor due to planting one type of crop.
“We are faced with costly Agro-inputs yet as rural women farmers, we are poor, so why can’t they empower us to use indigenous seeds that are cheap to maintain if we are to eradicate poverty and promote food security “says Kobusingye.
Valeria Nabweteme, another rural woman from Kyankwanzi notes that lack of access to clean and safe water and clean energy consumes much time for rural women to involve in other source of livelihoods that are income generating. She adds that lack of access to electricity and financial services like banks are a challenge to women who may want to deal in business.
“Women spend long distances looking for firewood and water which is a challenge. If government can extend services to rural areas or provide clean energy alternatives, maybe rural women can get out of poverty,” said Nabweteme.
However, the challenges highlighted by women can be overcome if women are empowered and know their rights according to some of the rural women activists who are trying to change the lives of other women.
Sylvia Nalumagga, a Coordinator for Bunyoro Women’s Development Network and the Deputy Mayor for Hoima City says women can be change agents if they put their brains together to find solutions as they continue putting pressure on government. She says her group came up with an idea of making charcoal briquettes from food wastes and energy saving stoves as an alternative to solve the problem of firewood and its related challenges like scarcity, environmental degradation, smoke among others.
Annet Kasoro, the Coordinator of a Kabaale Women’s Farmers group in Buseruka Sub County in Hoima says that they have embarked on growing and promoting indigenous seeds that were facing extinction due to improved seeds which had become costly and prone to pests and disease leading to food insecurity which impacts much on women.
Beatrice Rukanyanga, a member of the steering committee for Rural Women’s Movement says women need to have one voice and be able to stand up and advocate for their rights so that the government can listen.
She says they are mobilizing women to join the rural women’s movement so that they can be at the forefront of demand for environmental social and economic justice.
Precious Naturinda, the Field Mobilizer for NAPE’s Grassroots Women Movement says there is need to unite in promoting rural women’s rights, amplifying their voices and taking concrete action to support their indispensable role in forging a more equitable, just and sustainable world for all people and the planet.
She says NAPE is mobilizing women to influence decision making in national development processes as well as promote the adoption of feminist development alternatives in communities affected by resource extraction and large development projects.
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