Civic Society Organizations in Uganda, including the National Association of Professional Environmentalists (NAPE) have resumed intellectual study groups attended by scholars, activists and professionals.
The first intellectual group engagement this year was organized at NICAN Hotel in Seguku –Kampala on 6th May 2023.
Allan Kalangi, the Sustainability School Manager at NAPE said the objective of the study group was to generate debate around Property compensation alternatives with a case study of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project, generate knowledge and information and also dialogue of the theory and how it is linked to practice.
He explained that it was a follow up of other series of study groups conducted by ROSA Luxemburg Foundation last year. He said the intellectual study group engagements are aimed at triggering thinking around critical issues through dialogues that gather thinkers from different fields and school of thoughts.
Samuel Kasirye from ROSA Luxemburg Foundation said the intellectual study groups started last year with the goal of creating new thinking around land governance.
Kalangi explained that EACOP compensation has been marred by delays and unfair compensation leaving the effected people frustrated.
“There have been challenges with compensation on customary land since land is communally owned by clans or tribes. There is a challenge of who to compensate under this tenure. Additionally, titled land is given a priority and because of this, people are now turning customary land into freehold to get land titles as a proof of ownership but the process of obtaining land titles is complex and expensive. In other areas, land is under Mailo; and is comprised of absent landlords, which has delayed compensation of the land users. Besides, the pipeline is passing through ecologically sensitive areas and has sparked massive destruction”, Kalangi noted
Joram Basiima, a community member from Kigaaga Village in Hoima district noted that the community is less involved in the compensation process.
“Compensation rates used in the process of compensation are outdated and people have not been involved in setting the compensation rates leading to unfair compensation. People have been frustrated by delayed compensation and I think this is a trick by oil companies to force people to receive little compensation,” said Joam.
During the discussion, Prof. Lwanga Lunyigo, wondered whether the affected people have the leaders.
“Where is the leadership in all this? Where are the members of parliament, the local governments who were elected to protect the rights of citizens? The question we should be answering is; what do you compensate and who are you compensating? People are lacking pro-people policies and people-centered solutions,” he said.
Suzan Nakacwa, another participant said compensation in Uganda should be defined in Ugandan context to be able to benefit communities.
“In Uganda, we have not contextualized our problem and uniqueness. Let’s go back to the drawing board and define compensation in a Ugandan context. Relocation and compensation requires like 15 years given to affected people for transition, if they want it fairly done. Let’s talk about transition of families, crops and everything. Let’s go to the communities and hear what the communities are saying and from there we go back to the drawing board”, she said.
The participants agreed to involve more affected people in the study groups.
The Executive Director, the National Association of Professional Environmentalists (NAPE), Frank Muramuzi has asked journalists to expose people who are encroaching on protected natural resources.
Speaking during a training of Albertine journalists that was held at Community Green Radio Offices in Kiboga on April 20th, Muramuzi said most journalists fear to expose wetland and forest encroachers.
“I heard that there are influential people in Kiboga, who are carrying out activities in wetlands. You need to investigate them, know how they got licenses and publish the stories. Even the encroachers of Bugoma forest! You need to continue writing about them,” he said.
Muramuzi said the developments taking place in Albertine region need objective and courageous reporters that are ready to take on encroachers without fear.
The meeting was aimed at training participants on reporting large scale investments with case study on East African Crude Oil Pipeline.
During the training, Adolf Mbaine, the Makerere university lecturer took the participants through reporting on East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP).
He said the processes and systems involved in producing and distributing oil and gas are highly complex, capital intensive and technological and makes it an underreported sector.
He, however, asked journalists to develop the passion and educate themselves on the industry so that they can report about it.
“Reporting on oil and gas needs a better understanding of characteristics and challenges to be able to know where to start from. Coming up with a strong story is sometimes costly as big money and influential investors who can use their positions and finance to influence. But such stories make us stand out as journalists,” said Mbaine.
Jacob Kitezi is one of the pipeline affected residents in Kyankwanzi district who has waited for his compensation cash to hit his bank accounts in vain.
Kitezi, a resident of Kigoma ward in Massode-Kalagi town council was affected by the Hoima-Kampala petroleum Products Pipeline that is proposed to transport refined oil products from the Uganda Oil Refinery in Hoima to a distribution terminal near Buloba in Wakiso district. The pipe passed through is coffee and banana plantation.
However, Kitezi says it’s now a year since he was promised his cash compensation. Away from the delayed compensation, he says his property was undervalued since he never participated in the valuation process.
He says the challenge is that he has failed to get the right channels to address his grievances since the area local leaders have no updates on when they are getting their compensation. He also noted that the community liaisons officers for oil companies are not known leaving with them a huge information gap.
“They only invited me to sign papers for my compensation but I dint participate in valuation of my affected property. The money given was little but it’s not also coming. Access to information has become a problem because I have no one to ask,” said Kitezi.
Rev. Fred Musimenta, a resident of Butimba Village in Kikuube district also expresses the same disappointments. He says addressing human rights concerns by the oil companies have become a problem as they are not clear on the way forward amidst the delayed compensation.
“When I rejected the poor compensation, they promised to get back to me and re-evaluate my property but I have been waiting for them in vain. Whoever I try to ask tells me that they are coming,” said Musimenta.
As of December 2022, 2,502(69%) EACOP PAPs were compensated out of 3,648 people in Uganda according to statics obtained from EACOP website.
Dickens Amanya, the Coordinatior for Bunyoro Albertine Petroleum Network on Environmental Conservation (BAPENECO) says people have the right to information and consultation and every district is supposed to have a grievance settlement committee aimed at addressing the concerns of the affected residents.
He said the people affected by the pipeline should follow up with their respective district in order to address the information gap. He was recently addressing people affected by the pipeline in a community engagement that was organized by National Association of Professional Environmentalists(NAPE).
Allan Kalangi, the Sustainability Officer at NAPE said NAPE will continue building the capacity of communities to be able to address their stakeholders on potential environmental and human rights concerns.
In commemoration of International Women’s Day, National Association of Professional Environmentalists (NAPE) held a networking and exhibition event where women were able to share experiences, connect with feminists, climate activists and artists on innovative ways of addressing climate change.
The event that was held at Innovation village in Jinja city was organized by the Gender and climate Change coalition partners –NAPE, Fridays for Future Uganda, Girls for Climate Action and Simma Africa Creative Arts Foundation.
During the event, the women affected by climate disasters shared experiences of how massive crop failures as a result of long dry spells, heavy rains and floods have destroyed their livelihoods.
Ms. Monica Namutebi, a 52-year-old mother of 9 children narrated how she lost her livelihood and sustained injuries when the heavy down pour blew off her roof top and forced her to relocate from Kaliro district in 2019.
Ms. Namutebi, who relocated to Butiki ward in Jinja city, said that she was with her children in the house at around 10:00 PM when the strong wind blew off the roof top following three hours of heavy rains.
“As it was raining heavily, the wind suddenly blew off the iron sheet and hit me while I was trying to save the children. My husband had gone to the bar and I had no one to save me. When I survived, I left the place and relocated with my children,” she narrated.
Ms. Esther Batwala, one of the residents from Jinja who relocated from Bududa district following the mudslides noted that losing her property and livelihood to floods has left her to start from scratch.
Ms. Joan Akiiza, the Senior Gender and Legal Officer at NAPE noted that as government is put to task to accelerate efforts to contain the climate crisis which is mainly affecting the women whose livelihood depends on natural resources and the future of the young generation, women and young people should embrace climate smart innovations and technology.
Ms. Sandra Suubi, a musician and a visual artist asked the women and youth to get innovative solutions of ending plastic pollution. Ms. Suubi, who came dressed in an outfit made of plastics, said she is using her talent of visual arts to turn plastics into decorations and also address climate advocacy through music.
“I normally put on the plastic outfit and go the lake shores and this sends a message to them that plastics need to be recycled. As an artist, listening to such heartbreaking stories of women impacted by climate disasters trigger me to compose them into songs which I share with the world on internet and also sing every time I get an opportunity. I am using my talent to advocate for climate justice because it affects everyone including me,” said Ms. Suubi during the experience sharing.
Ms. Patricia Namirembe from Fridays for Future Uganda noted that they are using social media to amplify the voices of youth and women affected by climate change and call on leaders to act.
The women were treated to an exhibition which involved dustbins made out plastic bottles, biogas and short videos on making energy saving stoves to minimize on firewood use and electricity bicycles.
The theme for this year’s international women’s day was, “DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality.
Rev. Fred Musimenta is among the affected persons in Butimba Village, Kizirafumbi Sub County in Kikuube district that have not yet been compensated for their land earmarked for the construction of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline.
According to Rev. Musimenta, he resolved to halt signing of evaluation and compensation forms pending response to his complaints about unfair compensation.
“My property was undervalued and I refused to sign for that little compensation. The evaluation rates that were used were not current, since then nothing has been done,” said Rev. Musimenta.
80-year old Norah Kakenge, another project affected person from Butimba village also wonders why the compensation has been delayed and fears that she might die before receiving her package.
“I am staying with orphans. My land was being used as collateral in the bank to get loan for school fees and now I am not able to do it. It has since affected me that I have nowhere to get money from and these delays make me fear that I might die before I receive it,” she said.
Eng. Herbert Magezi Mugizi, the Principle Engineer in the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development – MEMD disclosed that close to 68 percent of the PAPs have already been compensated while the pending compensations are expected to be concluded by the end of 2023
Despite the delays, cabinet has approved the application by the East African Crude Oil Pipeline Company Limited for a license for the construction of the 1,443 km long East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline in Uganda.
Addressing a press conference on 19th February, Mr. Magezi, said the approval of the applicable license now grants the East African Crude Oil Pipeline Company Limited legal access to start actual construction.
Rev. Musimenta says the green light to pipeline construction leaves them in fear that they will be compromised into consenting to the unfair compensation values as they have done to some of their colleagues.
The land acquisition program for the said project was rolled out in August 2018 and the Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU) promised to start compensation in early 2021. However, until today, the project-affected persons have not received compensation, even though they were stopped from using their land.
Kikuube Vice Chairperson, Vincent Opio said people’s livelihoods and development progress have been affected by delayed compensation urging the government to accelerate the compensation process for the smooth running of the project.
The new Director for Rosa Luxemburg Foundation for East Africa, Katrin Voss has commended the efforts of Community Green Radio and communities in promoting human rights and preserving indigenous seeds for food sovereignty in Albertine Region.
Ms.Katrin and Mr.Samuel Kasirye, the Rosa Program Coordinator for Uganda were on a 2-day tour to Community Green Radio and Sustainability Members supported by RLS through National Association of Professional Environmentalists (NAPE) in Kiboga, Hoima, Kikuube and Buliisa districts.
During her tour, Ms.Katrin was treated to exhibitions of indigenous food species and eco-friendly projects carried out by listeners clubs and sustainability school members to promote food sovereignty and conserve the environment.
At Community Green Radio, the Listeners Club Members exhibited packed honey, tradition crafts and rabbits. Sarah Kamyuka, the chairperson of Kapeke Listeners club said they listen and put into practice what they learn on radio and also share with others. She said each listeners club has a project they are carrying out to act as role models through improved livelihoods and environmental conservation.
In Butimba, Lucy Mbuubi, a member of Butimba Sustainability School said NAPE has supported them in fighting for human rights and promoting food sovereignty. They exhibited indigenous maize, ground nuts, beans, millet and sorghum that the group is conserving and promoting in communities.
In Buliisa; Alice Kazimura, the Director for Kakindo Women’s Integrated Development Association (KAWIDA) said the district has become a hub of industrialization as a result of oil boom which has in turn led to land conflicts; increased gender based violence and led t food insecurity. She said the communities with support from ROSA through NAPE have played a big role in sensitizing communities about the challenges and finding solutions. The group exhibited indigenous cassava, sweet potatoes, beans and pumpkins the group is promoting.
Katrin said she was impressed that the communities are actively taking part in conserving the indigenous seeds which are resilient to climate changes and can promote food sovereignty in homes.
She said she was shocked by what capitalists are doing the country; taking away land for industrialization, forcing land titling to communities and introducing Genetically modified seeds which in turn are largely contributing to violence against women, threatening food insecurity and causing injustices on land.
She said she is equally happy that the communities especially women are aware of the challenges and taking swift efforts to solve the problems.
“I am proud of you! Seeing you strong and standing together in solidarity to fight against violence against women, taking care of local seeds and finding solutions, I feel so impressed. And I encourage you to continue saving the seeds, have kitchen gardens to maintain food security and continue protecting women against violence caused by developments,” she said.
She pledged Rosa’s commitment to continue supporting the communities.
“Rosa will not stop supporting the projects and we are proud of you!” she said addressing communities in Kikuube, Hoima and Buliisa districts in separate engagements.
During our phone conversation, Jelous Mugisa Mulimba sounded disgruntled and exhausted but not ready to give up on fighting for adequate compensation.
“Let government take that cash compensation forever, I want a house not money!” he repeatedly emphasized as he hung up on phone.
Mulimba, 50, a family head of nine people is among seven people that are battling a court case for allegedly sabotaging a government project after they protested against inadequate compensation of their land.
His land is part of a 772-acre piece of land that was acquired by government in 2017 to host an Oil Central Processing Facility currently under construction in Kasinyi village, Ngwedo Sub County in Buliisa district.
“I opted for land compensation but to my surprise during disclosure to know the value of property affected by the project, I was told that I was to take cash compensation,” he said. “I dint understand why government was forcing me to take what I dint ask for. I and my wife insisted that we are not taking cash,” he added.
Mulimba said that he was then summoned to court in Masindi by the Attorney General.
The Attoney General wanted government to deposit their compensation money in court and allow the project to proceed.
“The members of our family accepted the compensation of the family land measuring 13 acres with each at 3.5 million shillings and disturbance allowance of 30 percent but for me I refused,” he explained.
According to Mugisha, on 30th April 2021, he and other respondents lost the case. He noted that with assistance of some NGO, they appealed but the case has never been heard.
“Since then, the case has not been heard. The NGO that took over our case tells us that they refused to fix the date for hearing. We are stuck but we have not given up,” noted Mulimba.
Mulimba said he is currently faced by threats and intimidation from government officials who think he is sabotaging government programs. However, Mulimba says he is not ready to give up on fighting for his rights.
“I want to leave a legacy for my children. They will live to know that I fought for their rights. I will not take that money. Let government take in if it wants,” he said.
At 63, Mrs. Teopista Nakamanyiro, a widow and a resident of Kiyuni village in Kyankwanzi district was sure that her 3 acres of coffee would sustain her livelihood in her old age.
She narrates that in a good harvesting season; she would earn a minimum of 3,000,000 Ugandan shillings throughout the season. But this retirement plan was cut short in February 2022 when the graders and excavators razed down her coffee plantation that has sustained her livelihood for years.
Nakamanyiro is among over 300 families whose gardens were destroyed following a forced eviction in Gayaza Sub County in Kyankwanzi district.
The affected residents are from Kyerere North, Kyerere East, Kiyuni central, Kiryajobyo west, and Kibanda villages. They are feuding with Linda Nyakairima, the widow of the late Internal Affairs Minister Gen.Aronda Nyakairima who is alleged to have fraudulently acquired a title for the land measuring about 5 square miles.
In July last year, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni promised to compensate Linda so that people will get back their land. The president’s message was delivered by the Minister of Land, Housing and Urban Development, Ms. Judith Nabakooba who visited the affected residents and also assured them of compensation of their destroyed crops.
However, the process of compensation seems to be slow yet the affected residents are in dire need of food.
“When we tried to follow up, the Minister told us that the president gave an order without readily available source of money for compensation. This left us in confusion. This means that the people will not get back to their land soon yet they have no food,” said Leosam Sebalunzi, the LCIII Chairperson for Gayaza Sub County.
Dr. John Mpuuga, the Kyankwanzi LCV chairperson said, “Minister Nabakooba delivered President’s message on compensation without verifying the source of money. She raised the false hopes of the affected residents who are currently languishing in starvation and lack of livelihood.”
Dr. Mpuuga said the government should expedite the process of compensation so that people go back to their land.
In December 2022, during her visit to Kiboga, Nabakooba noted that the issue of compensation is being handled by the president’s office and will soon be sorted.
Affected residents at the verge of starvation
The graders and excavators destroyed the crops including banana plantations, beans, maize, mangoes, cassava, coffee, jackfruit and rice planted by the residents.
“From the time our crops were destroyed, I am struggling to feed my children. Though the gardens were destroyed, the houses were left untouched. So our houses are surrounded by crops of people hired to till the land. And this is tempting. You cannot stop a hungry child from stealing maize planted in your compound. This leaves me in fear of being arrested,” said thoughtful Nakamanyiro.
Gayaza LC111 chairperson, Leosam Ssebalunzi said the residents are struggling to survive without food. He notes that they were denied access to their gardens by the soldiers who were deployed on the disputed land and outsiders who were hired to till the land.
He called upon the government to supply them with food and other basic necessities as they wait for the compensation.
On 25th November 2022, Uganda joined the rest of the world in 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. The campaign kicks off on International Day of Elimination of Violence against Women and runs till December 10th, the Human rights day.
National Association of Professional Environmentalists (NAPE) in collaboration with other partners participated in the campaign with grassroots women, rising awareness on how climate change contributes to gender based violence and how women can spearhead the fight against all forms of gender based violence.
NAPE held two awareness raising meetings; one for women from oil-rich districts in Hoima, Kikuube, Buliisa, Amuru and Nwoya who are affected by oil extractives and large plantations which was held in Hoima district; and another with the fisher folk in the suburbs of Munyonyo landing site.
During the meeting in Hoima, the women stressed that women and girls are largely impacted by the effects of climate change since they are more reliant on natural resources to support their livelihoods.
“Like in Amuru, there has been abnormal rainfall affecting the crops in the garden. This is already causing violence in families due to economic hardships and looming food insecurity since we largely depend on agriculture for our livelihood,” said Owek Jenifer from Amuru district.
“Floods in Buliisa district have caused displacements fuelling gender based violence. Young girls in areas hardly hit by floods have dropped out of schools and married off at a young age while women have been left with the burden of sole responsibility of the children. Besides that, drought affects the districts and it leaves cattle dead and crops dried up leading to economic hardships and food insecurity. These heavily affect women,” said Ms.Elinah Kaahwa from Buliisa.
However, the women said they are determined to stand up together and find solutions for sustainable development and overcoming the challenges. The women also call on government to implement punitive measures that apprehend GBV perpetrators.
“We need to work together to improve our sources of income so that we can educate our children, we highly depend on natural resources because we did not go to school to get better jobs. We also need to engage in making charcoal briquettes and energy saving stoves to reduce risks that women and girls face while walking long distances to look for firewood and water,” said Christine Nyangoma from Hoima.
The meeting at Munyonyo landing site was organised by NAPE together with SIMMA Africa for Creative Arts, Girls for Climate Action and Fridays for Future Uganda who are jointly implementing PISCCA project, “Towards an Intergenerational and Creative Feminist Movement in Uganda” with support from French Embassy under Gender and Climate coalition.
The fisher folk noted that climate change accelerates Gender Based Violence within the fishing communities when they don’t catch enough. The women noted that the biggest challenge is fellow women not supporting victims and looking at them as the cause of violence based on their dress code.
They also noted how the fish catchment has reduced which causes physical fights at the landing site as they struggle to get what to sale and be able to fend for their families. The girls that work in the bars expressed how they are unsafe due to the nature of their job and how men think that by virtue of doing the job they have consented to all forms of sexual advances whereas not and yet their bosses think this should be fine with them.
“Men need to be sensitized as change agents for gender based violence since they are the perpetrators and degraders of the environment,” said a fish vendor at Mulungu landing site.
Joan Akiiza, the senior Gender and legal affairs officer at NAPE noted that gender issues are magnified when climate crisis occurs, as women face the burden of increasing household responsibilities and are vulnerable to domestic and sexual violence.
She called upon women and girls to raise their voices and report all cases of GBV to police she shared with them a hotline to dial and report cases without suffering in silence to stop all forms of gender based violence that affect women and girls.
On 25th November 2022, Uganda joined the rest of the world in 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. The campaign kicks off on International Day of Elimination of Violence against Women and runs till December 10th, the Human rights day.
National Association of Professional Environmentalists (NAPE) in collaboration with other partners participated in the campaign with grassroots women, rising awareness on how climate change contributes to gender based violence and how women can spearhead the fight against all forms of gender based violence.
NAPE held two awareness raising meetings; one for women from oil-rich districts in Hoima, Kikuube, Buliisa, Amuru and Nwoya who are affected by oil extractives and large plantations which was held in Hoima district; and another with the fisher folk in the suburbs of Munyonyo landing site.
During the meeting in Hoima, the women stressed that women and girls are largely impacted by the effects of climate change since they are more reliant on natural resources to support their livelihoods.
“Like in Amuru, there has been abnormal rainfall affecting the crops in the garden. This is already causing violence in families due to economic hardships and looming food insecurity since we largely depend on agriculture for our livelihood,” said Owek Jenifer from Amuru district.
“Floods in Buliisa district have caused displacements fuelling gender based violence. Young girls in areas hardly hit by floods have dropped out of schools and married off at a young age while women have been left with the burden of sole responsibility of the children. Besides that, drought affects the districts and it leaves cattle dead and crops dried up leading to economic hardships and food insecurity. These heavily affect women,” said Kaahwa Elina from Buliisa.
However, the women said they are determined to stand up together and find solutions for sustainable development and overcoming the challenges. The women also call on government to implement punitive measures that apprehend GBV perpetrators.
“We need to work together to improve our sources of income so that we can educate our children, we highly depend on natural resources because we did not go to school to get better jobs. We also need to engage in making charcoal briquettes and energy saving stoves to reduce risks that women and girls face while walking long distances to look for firewood and water,” said Christine Nyangoma from Hoima district.
The meeting at Munyonyo landing site was organised by NAPE together with SIMMA Africa for Creative Arts, Girls for Climate Action and Fridays for Future Uganda who are jointly implementing PISCCA project, “Towards an Intergenerational and Creative Feminist Movement in Uganda” with support from French Embassy under Gender and Climate coalition.
Climate change coalition partners with advocacy messages on GBV
The fisher folk noted that climate change accelerates Gender Based Violence within the fishing communities when they don’t catch enough The women noted that the biggest challenge is fellow women not supporting victims and looking at them as the cause of violence based on their dress code.
They also noted how the fish catchment has reduced which causes physical fights at the landing site as they struggle to get what to sale and be able to fend for their families. The girls that work in the bars expressed how they are unsafe due to the nature of their job and how men think that by virtue of doing the job they have consented to all forms of sexual advances whereas not and yet their bosses think this should be fine with them.
“Men need to be sensitized as change agents for gender based violence since they are the perpetrators and degraders of the environment,” said a fish vendor at Mulungu landing site.
Group photo with girls from Mulungu fishing landing site in Munyonyo
Joan Akiiza, the senior Gender and legal affairs officer at NAPE noted that gender issues are magnified when climate crisis occurs as women face the burden of increasing household responsibilities and are vulnerable to domestic and sexual violence.
She called upon women and girls to raise their voices and report all cases of GBV to police she shared with them a hotline to dial and report cases without suffering in silence to stop all forms of gender based violence that affect women and girls.
ENDS//
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