There are increasing concerns over the increased cases and incidents of gender based violence associated with the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project in Kiboga and Kyankwanzi districts in central Uganda.
Ms. Nakaweesi Juliet, a resident of Lwanda Village in Kiboga district says her relationship with the husband became sour after they were compensated.
“My husband disappeared after l repeatedly asked about the money, leaving me with so many responsibilities,” Nakaweesi told our reporter.
Ms. Nakaweesi says the grace cultivation period is almost over since construction of the pipeline is on and is worried of how she will feed the children.
“l tried to involve the local leaders about this matter, but l didn’t get the justice l hoped for,” she added.
64 year old Kunihira Edinasi, a resident of the same place says she is leaving in fear after her land title was taken by government.
Kunihira is also among those affected by EACOP and her land title was taken with a promise of a swift return, but the wait still continues.
The land title was taken to adjust the portion affected, but it’s now 4 years and still hasn’t been returned.
“I’m worried they might take all my land. I have always used my title as security to borrow money”, she explained.
Kunihira says she attempted to connect with the EACOP officials but sadly she hasn’t received any feedback yet.
She says the compensation she received back then was really minimal compared to the cost of living now since most of properties like a house, trees and other properties were undervalued.
“The government’s support has been quite lacking, leaving us feeling overlooked and uncertain about the whole process”, she added.
Like Nakaweesi and Kunihira, many more women are bearing the weight of taking care of families that they initially shared with their spouses.
Ms. Lydia Nanjere of Kigoma in Kyankwanzi district says she has now spent over a year as a sole family caretaker. He husband disappeared after receiving compensation.
“The day he got money is the last day I saw him. I last heard that he had married another woman in the trading center”, a seemingly depressed Nanjere narrated.
The women say their only hope is in the voice that they raise through the Community Green Radio. The radio has consistently amplified their voices far and wide. They have hope that well-wishers and government will come to their aid after listening to their repeated cries.
The women are appealing to government to quickly intervene and mediate for harmonious living.
COMPILED BY JOAN NTEZA
The residents of Lwabagoma Village, Gogonya Parish in Mubende District in Central Uganda have commended the National Association of Professional Environmentalists, NAPE for the organization’s support to their community particularly through bee keeping sensitization.
The residents made the remarks at the end of November when Mr. David Kureba, the NAPE’s Program Officer in Charge of Forests and Biodiversity made a visit to their area to train them on bee keeping. Mr. Kureba was accompanied by Mr. Basiima Jorum from Kiggaga Cell in oil rich Hoima District in Western Uganda. Mr. Basiima is a bee keeper who has specialized in training other bee keepers.
Mr.Basiima took the residents of Lwabagoma through key beekeeping techniques and how the community can harness the benefits of bee keeping.
“You have to select suitable locations for bee keeping, identifying prime areas for apiaries and the flora resources that support profitable bee keeping ventures”, Mr. Basiima explained to the attentive residents.
He also stressed the critical need for ensuring the safety and security of bee keepers and neighboring communities, highlighting the importance of responsible bee keeping practices and harmonious coexistence.
Mr. Katumba Julius, the area village chairperson and a prominent bee keeper expressed gratitude to NAPE for their tireless efforts in promoting beekeeping in the community.
He also emphasized the importance of putting the skills and knowledge gained into practice and appealed to community members to not only adopt beekeeping but also to teach and mentor others.
Mr. Kureba presented the community members with bee hives, symbolizing commitment to empowering local beekeeping initiatives.
STORY COMPILED BY JOANE NTEZA
Community Green Radio, through the National Association of Professional Environmentalists-NAPE has joined a partnership with other media Organizations, Northern Uganda Media Club (NUMEC) and Diplo brief Kenya aimed at strengthening community media, digital safety and civic engagements ahead of the 2026 general elections in Uganda. The project was orfficially launched on Monday October 13 2025 in Gulu city and is supported by American Jewish World Service -AJWS.
“The community Green radio and NAPE will ensure that partners are acquitted with the legal and compliance requirements for media houses and civic society organization to ensure total compliance during and after elections. The Green radio will also broadcast civic education messages from partners to ensure that citizens front salient issues of environmental justice, land and human rights as campaign demands”, says Mr. Rajab Bwengye Yusufu, the NAPE Ag. Executive Director.
He thanked American Jewish World Service (AJWS), who were represented by Ms.Sheila Muwanga at the launch, for the support to the project. –Ms. Muwanga is the AJWS Uganda Country Representative.
Mr.Bwengye says the project has come as a timely response to the ever deteriorating media freedoms and civic liberties in Uganda calling it a right moment to beef up media digital safety, legal compliance and ensuring that the voice of the voiceless on issues of human and environmental rights abuse find space in the upcoming national election agendas in Uganda.
NAPE was represented at the launch by Kyamanywa Julius the Station Manager of the Community Green Radio.
Other partners in this project include Solidarity Uganda and Friends of Zoka.
The launch was president over by Mr. Onoria Ambrose, the Resident City Commissioner, RCC Gulu city.
Mr.Onoria appealed to partners for cooperation with government during the implementation and assured them of support.
“As government, we are ready to work with you for a free and fair election. We shall provide you with all the necessary support during the implementation”, the RCC stressed.
Mr. Alfred Oryem of NUMEC appealed to partners to try and implement what was stipulated in the project documents and as per the agreements signed. He noted that time has moved but called on partners to try and implement.
The project has five components that include Community Digital Ambassadors Program, Secure Media Hub at NUMEC, “Silent No More” Digital Campaign, Compliance and Amplification and Reporting Grants and Safety Support.
Mrs.Annastinzia Kakooza, a resident of Kaseeta village, Buseruka Sub County in Hoima district is concerned about the growing numbers of people in the area.
She claims this is to due to the East African Crude Oil Pipe line project (EACOP) that attracts so many people to work in the area.
During a community outreach by Community Green radio journalists to this area this month, Mrs. Explained that cases of intermarriages, high cost of living, insecurity and land grabbing are so rampant.
Mrs.Kakooza says the situation has been escalating ever since the discovery of oil with many locals losing their land to the powerful individuals in government who had intention in the EACOP earmarked area.
“Girls nolonger want to go to school since the EACOP workers promise them heaven and earth in exchange for sexual favors and boys prefer working to schooling thus leading to increased cases of school drop outs”, Mrs.Kakooza said.
“We were so much delighted upon hearing the discovery of oil our area because we thought our lives would change, but now we regret”, she added.
Mrs.Kakooza further explained that workers usually trespass in their gardens and take their food sometimes causing damages to the plantations which has resulted into food insecurity in the area with local leaders doing nothing to help the masses.
“The pain of betrayal cuts deep when leaders entrusted to safeguard our well being, appear to side with those causing harm”, she said
She expressed gratitude to the National Association of Professional Environmentalists for their tireless efforts in championing justice and ensuring that the rights of the affected communities are protected.
Story compiled by Joanne Nteza
As the EACOP advances, families are finding themselves torn apart by the disputes over compensation and land rights, their unity frayed by the pressure of displacement and uncertainty.
This discovery was made after a one on one interview with the EACOP affected communities during our out reach in Hoima, western Uganda this month (September)
Ms.Kyalimpa Joy, a resident of Kabaale village, Buseruka sub county in Hoima district disclosed to us that her husband disappeared with the compensation, leaving her to struggle in supporting their.
“We struggled so much with my husband to acquire our land but he vanished after receiving compensation”, Kyalimpa explained.
Kyalimpa said she finds difficuilties in supporting her family since the land for cultivation was taken and the husband disappeared with all the compensation money. Her children no longer go to school since the little she gets can only provide food.
“Doing casual labor on other people’s farms is my only means of survival, and feeding my family. Seeing my children at home during school time breaks me down as a mother”, a seemingly sorrowful Kyalimpa narrated.
Kyalimpa’s quest for justice was met with disappointment when she sought help from the leaders in her community and she is calling on government to intervene in her matters and provide the necessary assistance.
STORY COMPILED BY JOANNE NTEZA
The community Green Radio has for over years provided a platform for communities affected by the oil and gas infrastructures, especially the East African Crude Oil Pipeline, EACOP.
On September 23 2025, a number of those affected by the pipeline were hosted again. The program was aimed at giving a platform to the affected persons to share their ordeals regarding the ongoing construction of the pipeline and how it relates to their social economic stand.
During the show, Byekwaso Sharif from Nabidondolo in Kyankwanzi district said the results of the oil development didn’t come as they expected. He expressed fear of intense suffering of people after misuse of their compensation.
“Delayed compensation is worrying me and other people of the impending suffering beyond what we have experienced. I call on government to think about us urgently”, he narrated during the show
Mr. Leo Sebufu reminded government of their pledge to transfer grave yards of those affected by the pipeline and that the community members are still waiting while Mr. Kisule Joseph wondered when land tittles that were taken away from the affected people would be returned since communities are living in fear of losing their land now that even local leaders deny knowledge of the whereabouts of those titles.
“We aren’t certain if we shall ever have out land titles back. It is even hard for one to look for a loan these titles used to act as collateral security”, Kisule explained.
Asuman Ssembatya, the parish chairperson for Nabulembeko Parish in Kyankwanzi district said as a leader he has been following on community issues resulting from displacement arising out of the EACOP. He added that as leaders on ground, they have found challenges in advocating for EACOP PAPs since some actor have blackmailed local leaders with a view of diving community members for their manipulation. He said no matter the situation, they will continue to advocate for the rights of PAPs so that they get the share of their compensation. He thanked NAPE f or all initiatives geared towards ensuring that communities are compensated and on time as provided for in the law. He pledged to continue pushing the cause for community to authorities at all levels.
Families must trek nearly 2-3km to fetch stagnant water from unreliable sources within the Kitegwa B in Kabaale Parish Buseruka Sub County in Hoima district.
Kabanyoro Everce a resident of Kitegwa B in Kabaale Parish Buseruka Sub County Hoima District, western Uganda notes that the scarcity has led to social issues, with girls falling prey to men while fetching water, and families facing turmoil as husbands accuse their wives of infidelity when they return late from fetching water.
Kabanyoro laments the lack of access to clean water has forced them to move long treks to fetch water that had not been their problem before the EACOP came.
Another resident Annet Kasolo shares a similar story. She notes that families have bathed in the same poor-quality water for as long as she can remember.
Kasolo further explains that due to the water scarcity, families have resorted to bathing in shifts.
“When people must travel such long distances for water, they find ways to manage. Many families now bathe in shifts; if the husband bathes on Monday, the wife bathes on Tuesday, and the children on Wednesday. Imagine living like that, especially for those who need to go to work. Our appeal to the government is to provide us with modern water sources,” Kasolo said.
“They had constructed five boreholes but per now we only have two functional boreholes in the village and with the population size 2 boreholes is just a drop in the ocean. We appeal to any partners who can help, as the water people are drinking is so bad that you feel sick just thinking about it,” Kasolo added.
She added that many residents frequently fall ill, but they have no choice but to continue using the contaminated water.
The under drilling destroyed most of the water sources and the destruction led to scarcity of water and residents who cannot afford to buy a jerry can at 1000 Uganda shillings have resorted to walking miles in search for water from wells and swamps.
Many community members in the EACOP affected areas had hopes in securing jobs from the project but few were employed.
Nyamahunge Milius, one of the Project Affected Persons (PAPs) for the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) says they face job scarcity due to lost livelihoods from land acquisition, which has reduced their access to agricultural land and thus their ability to earn income.
However, EACOP and its partners are implementing livelihood restoration programs, including vocational training and provision of start-up kits, to equip us particularly youth with practical skills for self-employment most of us are left behind.
Nyamahunge says government promised thousands of jobs and local investment surprisingly all was given away to foreign investors who have neglected to give them jobs.
“I expectations that oil would bring economic development but it has hindered our livelihoods since we lost our land which was used to be for farming and it was compensated with little money,” she says.
She thanked NAPE for training them by proving skills of good farming, making local mats and others.
Kobugabe Edith Abwooli one of the PAPs a resident of Kitegwa B village in Kabale parish in Buseruka Sub county in Hoima district says that the climate changed since the drilling and the construction of the pipeline started.
She says the destruction of swamps, wetlands, and water sources caused climate changes adding that indigenous trees were cut down and no efforts have been made to replace them.
While in her garden Kobugabe says the threat of oil spills poses severe dangers to wildlife and communities that depend on these ecosystems for their survival.
“I just plant crop hoping that one day we shall have rain so that our crops grow. We used to plant maize and sell it but now it’s hard,” Kobugabe says.
Kobugabe thanked NAPE for sensitizing them on how to conserve the environment by planting trees around homes and gardens.
She also says that after all the trainings and sensitizations from NAPE and community green radio, this has change her livelihood in the new farming methods and food storage programs from NAPE.
The chairman LC3 mr Micheale, Tabaro talking to farmers adjacent to Nabakazi wetland over the need to conserve the wetland more than ever before, in this era of climate change.
The National Association of Professional Environmentalists (NAPE), in conjunction with the community green radio program on environment, got down to communities during the validation meetings to ascertain community perspectives on Nabakazi wetland conservation in august 2025. This presented an opportunity for community green radio outreach progrmme to better understand the community perspective with regard to the wetland in line with the research findings that had been concluded. The meeting also aimed at getting feedback on the baseline from the communities. NAPE used the opportunity of the meeting to sensitized them in Rwabagoma and Rwenyonza villages, Kitenge Sub County in Mubende district about the conservation of wetlands.
NAPE’s efforts are necessitated by the massive destruction of the Nabakazi wetland for agricultural expansion, settlements and other human activities.
Validation meeting and sensitization efforts were led by the then NAPE Executive Director Frank Muramuzi(RIP), the Coordinator of Programs at NAPE Rajab Yusufu Bwengye, David Kureeba, the Program Officer in charge of the Nabakazi wetland restoration project and the consultants who conducted the baseline study.
The consultants presented the study findings and it was a true record of what they had presented. However, communities wanted explanation on the ever expanding wetland to their land for grazing and agriculture.
Mr. Muramuzi highlighted the importance of the wetlands to the community such as source of water, coolers to the environment, habitant to wild animals among others. He also said the details regarding the wetland encroaching the peoples land he would bring the district officials to explain.
He also highlighted the risks associated with destroying swamps, such as threatening wildlife habitats and disruption of natural water cycles.
“If you clear away the wetlands, you clear the homes of some animals like snakes, monkeys and crocodiles”, Mr. Muramuzi explained.
Mr. Tabaro Michaele the chairperson Lwenyenza village in Kitenge Sub County commended NAPE for the sensitization efforts and urged the community to conserve the environment.
“Let’s protect the environment so that our children can inherit a better world “.he said.
Mr.Lotet Ronald, the Senior Environment Officer for Mubende District also expressed gratitude to NAPE for the tireless efforts in environmental conservation, acknowledging the significant impact of the organization’s work.
Nabakazi, wetland known for its diverse benefits to the community in Mubende district, is facing destruction with many seemingly unaware of its value.
The residents are encroaching on the wetland prioritizing settlement expansion, agricultural development, brick making among others. The issues captured would be played and discussed over the radio for other conservationists to learn from.
Story by: Nanteza Joan
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