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A decade of displacement: How Uganda’s Oil refinery victims are dying before realizing justice as EACOP secures financial backing to further significant environmental harm.

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1 year ago

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By Witness Radio team.

“Laws are like spider webs: they catch the weak and let the powerful go free,” said Anacharsis, a Greek philosopher. These ancient words still ring painfully true for thousands of residents from Kyakaboga Sub-county in Hoima District, Uganda, who were displaced over a decade ago to pave the way for the country’s first oil refinery project. Despite 13 long years of broken promises and unending court delays, these communities continue to fight for justice, their unwavering resilience a source of inspiration.

Recently, the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project secured financial backing, including both debt and equity. The project is estimated to cost around $5 billion, with the project owners contributing about $2 billion in equity and raising an additional $2.4 billion – $3 billion in external debt. Funds were secured from Standard Bank, Stanbic Bank Uganda, KCB Bank Uganda, and the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector in Saudi Arabia, among the financiers backing the project.

Many people consider EACOP to be responsible for causing significant environmental harm in Uganda. The project is projected to impact numerous protected areas, including forests and national parks, and could potentially lead to the destruction of habitats and displacement of endangered species. Additionally, the pipeline’s construction and operation pose risks to water resources, including the Lake Victoria basin, which is a vital source of water for millions.

In 2012, the Ugandan government compulsorily acquired 29 square kilometers of land affecting over 13 villages in Buseruka Sub-county. More than 7,000 people, including 3,500 women and 1,500 children, were evicted to make way for the oil refinery. The project, touted as a symbol of national progress, instead left a trail of disrupted lives and systemic injustices —a stark reminder of the moral outrage that underlies this issue.

According to the Petroleum Authority of Uganda, the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) for the refinery offered affected people two options: cash compensation or resettlement with new houses built by the government. However, to date, many remain uncompensated, and others who opted for cash claim that their land and property were undervalued.

“At the time of compensation, we realized that the government was not paying us fairly as promised,” said Abigaba Esther Mpabaisi, one of the displaced residents. “Some villages in the same locality were compensated using different rates.” She added.

In response to these over-arching concerns, the residents, through their organization, the Oil Refinery Residents Association (ORRA), filed a case at the High Court in Kampala in 2014, seeking redress for forced evictions and human rights violations. Their courage in the face of a decade-long pursuit of justice, frustrated by systemic delays, shifting court venues, and what they describe as deliberate obstructions by state agencies, is truly admirable.

Christopher Opio, the ORRA leader, said the Court of laws meant to protect the poor had let them down: “We went to court, just like we have tried many other things. But the court has let us down. Even today, over 47 families have never received houses as part of the resettlement.” Opio added.

Uganda’s oil development efforts have repeatedly come under fire for forced land takeovers, delayed and inadequate compensation, and coercion accompanied by gross human rights abuses and violations. Despite communities turning to courts as a last resort for justice and demanding accountability for the harm caused to them, they are often left disillusioned.

Uganda’s judicial system operates with a stark contrast in the treatment of cases. While cases filed by powerful institutions often move swiftly, those filed by people experiencing poverty against the state or investors are subjected to years of postponements. A glaring example is the case in Buliisa District, where the government sued 42 families who refused undervalued compensation for their land for the Tilenga project, part of Uganda’s oil development activities.

The Tilenga project, is a major oil development in Uganda’s Albertine Graben, specifically in the Buliisa and Nwoya districts and it has caused displacement of local communities. The courts delivered judgment just four days after the case was filed, upholding the eviction of the families, who were also the legal landowners.

Meanwhile, the Kabaale case continues to stall. 75-year-old Kato Phinehas, who is also among those affected, reveals that the transfer of the case from one court to another is another factor that victims see as a deliberate effort by the state and courts to deny them justice.

“We started from the High Court in Kampala. There, government officials who were party to the case kept dodging us. Many times, the case was scheduled, but they would be absent, and it would be adjourned for several months. Despite little progress, the case was, to our surprise, referred to the Masindi High Court.

We decided not to give up. We followed the case to Masindi, but it was bounced back to the Kampala High Court. In Kampala, they told us the case had been sent to Masindi. Then, in Masindi, after a long wait, the case was referred to the Hoima High Court. However, in Hoima, they informed us that the files could not be traced. We later learned the case files were still in Masindi allegedly because there was no transport to deliver them to Hoima.

The judicial delays have taken a personal toll on individuals like Kato Phinehas. At 75 years old, he wonders if he will live to see the end of these delays. “this shocked us. We asked ourselves: how can a whole government fail to transport case files from Masindi, which is nearby? I’m 75 years old now, you can see me. I wonder: if these judicial delays continue for another ten years, will I still be alive to pursue this case?”

In addition, the eviction took a toll on the socio-economic life of residents, as Wandera John Bosco explains.

“I have been so much disturbed by the displacement because they evicted us from Kabaale and brought us here in Buseruka, about 25 kilometers away. In Kabale, we were flourishing in our work, had good business, and people were carrying out their daily activities, including farming, which yielded a lot and allowed them to thrive. This is a different case here. Life is hard,” said Wandera John Bosco, one of the Oil Refinery Project Affected Persons.

The economic effects have been severe. Many families who relied on farming lost their livelihoods. With no land and no crops, they couldn’t pay school fees. Children dropped out in large numbers.

“I dropped out of school in 2012,” said Tumwebaze Innocent, who was in secondary school when the evictions happened. “The government imposed a cut-off date and banned cash crops that grow beyond six months. And parents, including mine, had no alternative source of survival, which caused many of us to stop education,” he added.

Despite Article 126(2)(b) of Uganda’s Constitution, which mandates that “justice shall not be delayed,” these communities are trapped in a judicial limbo.

Community leaders are now urgently calling on Parliament, the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development to intervene not only to expedite the court case but also to revisit the entire compensation process. The need for new, fairer valuations based on current land rates and appropriate compensation for families still residing in inadequate or temporary housing is immediate and pressing.

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Six other Anti-EACOP Activists remanded to Luzira over alleged unlawful assembly.

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23 hours ago

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September 5, 2026

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By the Witness Radio team

The Law Development Centre (LDC) Magistrate’s Court has charged and remanded six youth activists attached to the Rooted in Resistance movement to Luzira Prison over alleged unlawful assembly.

The six are Mukiibi Isaac, Mawanda Arafat, Mugerwa Nicholas, Opio Innocent, Friday John and Onyango Ronald.

They are among 16 activists arrested on Monday, September 1, 2026, as they attempted to deliver petitions to Parliament and the offices of TotalEnergies in Kampala, calling for greater scrutiny of Uganda’s oil developments and opposing further investment in fossil fuels.

The activists were protesting against projects including the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) and the Tilenga oil project, arguing that continued investment in fossil fuels threatens communities, the environment and Uganda’s climate commitments.

Their lawyer, Kakuru Tumusiime, said that the six had been detained for more than 48 hours before being brought before a magistrate.

He argued that the continued detention amounted to a violation of their constitutional rights and called on the government to listen to the concerns being raised by young people rather than responding to protests with arrests.

“Our Constitution is clear that if a person has been arrested, he should be presented before court within 48 hours after his detention or else he should be granted a police bond,” Kakuru said.

He further accused the authorities of violating the activists’ human rights and said the defense team had already taken steps to challenge the alleged violations.

“We had filed an application for mandatory bail that had not been fixed. I think when they heard about the application, they rushed to bring them before court,” Kakuru said.

The six were subsequently remanded to Luzira Prison until September 17, 2026.

According to Section 62 of the Penal Code, any person who takes part in an unlawful assembly commits a misdemeanor and is liable, on conviction, to imprisonment for a term of one year.

The activists say their opposition is rooted in concerns about the environmental and social consequences of Uganda’s decision to develop its oil resources.

At the center of their campaign is EACOP, the planned 1,443-kilometre heated crude oil pipeline that will transport crude from Uganda’s oil fields in Hoima to the port of Tanga in Tanzania.

The pipeline is expected to transport crude produced from Uganda’s upstream oil projects, including the Tilenga project operated by TotalEnergies and the Kingfisher project.

The activists argue that Uganda should be investing more heavily in renewable energy rather than expanding fossil fuel production at a time when countries around the world are under pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Their position is that economic development should not come at the expense of people’s land, livelihoods and the environment.

Their demonstrations and petitions have called for Uganda to reconsider continued investment in fossil fuel infrastructure and instead accelerate the transition towards renewable sources of energy.

Rooted in Resistance was formerly known as Students Against EACOP and has become one of the youth-led groups consistently challenging Uganda’s fossil fuel development.

The group says young people have a stake in decisions being made today because they will live with the environmental and economic consequences of those decisions for decades to come.

During Monday’s demonstration, the activists wore orange T-shirts bearing the words “Rooted in Resistance” and carried banners and placards with messages including “No to Oil,” “Oil is temporary, nature is permanent” and “Uganda deserves an oil-free future.”

The demonstration ended with arrests as the activists attempted to deliver their petitions.

On Tuesday, September 1, ten of the activists were charged before Buganda Road Court with public nuisance and remanded to Luzira Prison.

The latest court proceedings involving the six activists have added another chapter to the increasingly tense debate over Uganda’s oil industry, which has led to the criminalization of more than 100 activists.

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Wakiso LCs warned against using official stamps to facilitate land grabbing

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1 day ago

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September 5, 2026

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Wakiso Town Council Mayor, Mr Fredson Mukalazi Kasiwukira (L), hands over an official stamp to an LC 1 chairperson.  PHOTO/NOELINE NABUKENYA

Newly sworn-in village chairpersons in Wakiso District have been warned against colluding with land grabbers and wealthy individuals to facilitate illegal land transactions, with authorities threatening to arrest those who misuse official stamps.

The village leaders have also been told to stop looking at an official stamp as a source of income and instead find legitimate employment to support themselves.

Wakiso Deputy Resident District Commissioner, Ms Angel Namulimbe, said her office continues to receive numerous complaints related to fraud and land grabbing, many of which allegedly involve village leaders.

“Our office is always full of cases of fraud and land grabbing, and many of these cases involve LC leaders,” she said.

She warned that village leaders found colluding with land grabbers would be arrested.

The RDC made the remarks on Thursday while presiding over the swearing-in and commissioning of village chairpersons and the handing over of official stamps to them in Wakiso Town Council.

Eight of the 13 village chairpersons in the town council and one of the six LC II leaders in the area were sworn in and issued with official stamps.

Ms Namulimbe said she would take firm action against any leader found using the stamp improperly.

Wakiso Town Council Chairperson, Mr Fredson Mukalazi Kasiwukira, accused some village leaders of working with wealthy individuals to frustrate residents and facilitate questionable land transactions.

He warned the leaders against allowing their offices to be used by people seeking to deprive residents of their land.

“Security has been alerted. In case you are reported misusing the stamp, we shall recall it,” he warned.

He also urged village chairpersons to be their eyes on the ground to ensure locals participate actively in all the ongoing government programmes.

“Parish Development Model has been extended up to the village level with LC 1s responsible for identifying prospective beneficiaries,” he said.

Mr Atanansio Musambwa, the Wakiso District vice chairperson and district representative for the area, urged the sworn-in leaders to put the interests of residents first and avoid engaging in practices that could undermine public trust.

He also asked them to pay greater attention to children and other vulnerable residents in their villages.

Wakiso Town Council Clerk, Mr Jimmy Mabanja, while handing over the stamps and other tools of authority to the leaders, reminded them that the items are official tools meant to support the enforcement of laws and proper administration.

He warned the leaders against using the stamps for personal gain or authorising transactions that do not meet the required legal procedures.

The village chairpersons pledged to exercise greater caution in the use of the stamps and other official materials entrusted to them.

Led by Mr Twaibu Kafuuma, the chairperson for Kaasangombe Cell, chairpersons also raised their concerns to the town council authorities, including enhancing their pay from Shs10,000 to Shs1m a month.

They also asked for identity cards, noting that they find it hard to identify themselves in case of community events.

“For example, during the National Cleaning Day, some chairpersons are beaten up by security officers because they cannot identify themselves,” Mr Kafuuma said.

Source: monitor.co.ug

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Ten out of sixteen Rooted in Resistance activists now face charges and have been sent to Luzira Prison after standing up against Uganda’s oil development.

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5 days ago

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September 1, 2026

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By the Witness Radio Team

Ten young members of the Rooted in Resistance Movement have been charged by a Buganda Road Court magistrate and sent to Luzira Prison after their arrest during a protest challenging Uganda’s oil projects.

On Monday morning, August 31, 2026, the activists joined more than 16 members of their youth-led movement in a bold attempt to deliver petitions to Parliament and TotalEnergies’ offices in Kampala, voicing strong opposition to Uganda’s ongoing investment in fossil fuel projects such as the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP).

After a night in police custody, ten of the activists were brought before the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, September 1.

They were charged with being a nuisance on a public road, contrary to Section 67(1)(c) of the Roads Act, Cap. 346.

The accused, Rahmah Namuddu, Dorothy Asio, Sharifah Nantongo, Sharon Shaluwatino, Nyamadri Lucky, Daniel Mugabe, Shakirah Kasoga, Isaac Akampurira, Ivan Ochola and Enock Opolot pleaded not guilty to the charges read to them.

The activists were represented by lawyers Counsel Peter Odur and Counsel Doreen Namara. The court subsequently remanded them to Luzira Prison until September 18, 2026.

The remaining six activists arrested during the protest were still being held at Wandegeya Police Station by Tuesday. They are Mukiibi Isaac, Mawanda Arafat, Mugerwa Nicholas, Opio Innocent, Friday John and Onyango Ronald.

The arrests followed a vivid demonstration in which activists, clad in orange T-shirts emblazoned with “Rooted in Resistance,” marched with banners and placards denouncing Uganda’s oil ambitions.

Among the messages displayed were “No to Oil,” “Oil is temporary, nature is permanent,” and “Uganda deserves an oil-free future.”

Rooted in Resistance, formerly known as Students Against EACOP, has become a persistent voice opposing fossil fuel expansion in Uganda, particularly targeting EACOP and the Tilenga oil project.

In a statement shared on social media, the movement emphasized its commitment to non-violence as Uganda nears oil production. The activists insisted that economic progress must not silence those who dare to question it.

The group demanded the immediate release of their fellow activists and condemned the government’s use of excessive force against peaceful demonstrators.

“We demand their unconditional release and call upon the government to refrain from further using lethal force against peaceful protesters amidst a societal climate and economic collapse in Uganda,” Rooted in Resistance said in a post on its X account.

These arrests are just the latest in a series for Rooted in Resistance, whose members have faced detention during earlier protests against Uganda’s oil ventures.

On August 10, 2026, four members of the movement were also arrested and charged with being a public nuisance, the group said.

In its latest petition, Rooted in Resistance urged Parliament to rethink what it sees as Uganda’s heavy reliance on petroleum for development.

“Rooted in Resistance calls upon Parliament to exercise its constitutional responsibility to protect the national interest and reconsider Uganda’s petroleum-dependent development model,” the statement reads.

The activists argue that their petition is based on citizens’ constitutional rights to participate in governance, express themselves and assemble peacefully, including the rights provided for under Article 38 of the Constitution.

They are urging Parliament to stop expanding oil infrastructure and to launch an open, transparent review of Uganda’s petroleum policies and agreements.

The movement also demands greater government investment in areas like agriculture, manufacturing, renewable energy, tourism, technology, education, innovation and homegrown enterprises.

The activists warn that tying Uganda’s future to petroleum extraction could trap the country in fossil fuel dependence and put communities and ecosystems at risk.

They have urged TotalEnergies to channel its investment and expertise into sectors that promise lasting benefits for Ugandans.

“We urge TotalEnergies to redirect meaningful investment and expertise towards renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, agro-processing, local manufacturing, tourism conservation, technology, skills development and youth enterprise which support livelihoods,” the group said.

This latest protest unfolds as Uganda edges nearer to commercial oil production, with major projects like TotalEnergies’ Tilenga and CNOOC’s Kingfisher set to shape the nation’s oil future.

EACOP, a 1,443-kilometer heated crude oil pipeline, is being developed to transport crude oil from Uganda’s oil fields in the Albertine region to the port of Tanga on Tanzania’s Indian Ocean coast.

The pipeline is expected to transport crude produced from Uganda’s upstream oil projects, including the Tilenga project operated by TotalEnergies.

Though the government and oil companies tout these projects as vital for Uganda’s economy, environmental and human rights activists warn of serious risks to communities, biodiversity and the environment.

Rooted in Resistance is now urging both Parliament and TotalEnergies to rethink Uganda’s current path toward petroleum expansion.

“Rooted in Resistance therefore calls upon Parliament and TotalEnergies to listen, engage and reconsider the current direction of petroleum expansion. Our demand is clear: an oil-free economy, economic freedom, environmental protection and development that leaves Uganda stronger, not more dependent, for generations to come,” the movement said in its petition.

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