By the Witness Radio team.
While French oil giant TotalEnergies boasts multi-billion-dollar profits, campaigners against the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) are intensifying demands for the company to face up to the social, environmental, and human rights consequences of its oil ventures in Uganda and Tanzania.
These renewed demands come on the heels of TotalEnergies announcing a staggering US$5.4 billion net profit for the first quarter of 2026, a 29 percent jump from the previous year. While shareholders revel in record-breaking earnings, campaigners point out that communities along the EACOP route are left to shoulder the burdens of displacement, lost livelihoods, and environmental harm.
TotalEnergies is the largest shareholder and lead developer of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), holding a 62 percent stake in the pipeline company. Other shareholders include the Uganda National Oil company (15%), the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (15%), and China National Offshore Oil Corporation (8%). As the majority shareholder, TotalEnergies oversees key decisions concerning the construction, financing, and management of the 1,443-kilometer heated crude oil pipeline that will transport oil from Uganda’s Albertine region to Tanzania’s Port Tanga.
Civil society groups across East Africa warn that TotalEnergies’ financial windfall has come at a steep price for the communities living in the shadow of the pipeline.
Environmental campaigners, including Sherelee Odayar of Greenpeace Africa, Zaki Mamdoo of Stop EACOP, Ziadah Kasimu of Green Conservers, Rukiya Khamis of 350Africa.org, and Balach Bakundane, an EACOP host community representative from Uganda, argue that local people continue to shoulder the social and economic burdens of fossil fuel extraction while corporations reap enormous profits.
Speaking during a discussion on fossil fuel accountability, Rukiya Khamis from 350 Africa- Kenya criticized governments for granting tax incentives to multinational oil companies. At the same time, ordinary citizens struggle with rising living costs.
“We were experiencing massive hikes in utility bills and retail prices. If you are in Kenya, you realize the price of milk was high, the price of bread was high, and the price of basic commodities became increasingly unaffordable. Yet, fossil fuel companies continued receiving subsidies and were free to raise prices.” Rukiya added.
She cautioned that pouring more investment into fossil fuels would only worsen the climate crisis, leaving vulnerable communities even more exposed to devastating climate disasters.
For those living along the EACOP pipeline, the promised benefits remain little more than empty words.
Balach Bakundane, who works with the EACOP Host communities in Uganda, said residents were promised employment opportunities, improved infrastructure, better healthcare services, and enhanced livelihoods. Instead, he says, many families have experienced land loss, declining incomes, and restrictions on fishing activities around affected water bodies.
“It is unbearable and very painful to see TotalEnergies announcing huge profits while our communities continue to lose their dignity, cultural values, and livelihoods. These profits are being made at our expense.” Balach revealed.
Bakundane also noted that fishing communities have been hit hard, losing access to vital parts of the lake due to oil operations.
“It is a very clear indicator that this is a neocolonial project that has no regard for our human rights, cultural values and our livelihood.” He further added.
Greenpeace Africa activist Sherelee Odayar called on African governments to rethink the generous tax breaks and investment perks handed to multinational fossil fuel giants.
She argued that governments should instead enforce the “polluter pays” principle, making companies behind greenhouse gas emissions pay their fair share for climate adaptation, disaster recovery, and compensation to affected communities.
“These companies should not be allowed to privatize the gains while socializing the costs. The extraordinary profits generated from fossil fuels should help finance climate adaptation, loss and damage, and support communities already suffering the impacts of climate change.” Odayar said, adding that accountability should accompany profits.
In Tanzania, activist Ziadah Kasimu of Green Conservers raised alarms about the lack of genuine community consultation and the displacement of thousands of residents uprooted by the pipeline.
She described how women, fishing communities in Tanga, pastoralists in Singida, and farming families have all seen their livelihoods upended by land grabs and new barriers to natural resources.
Kasimu insisted that affected communities deserve clear information, a real voice in decisions, and fair accountability for how the project’s benefits are shared.
“The profits belong only to them, but TotalEnergies and EACOP ignore the benefits for communities. We need transparent and timely information, and monitoring systems that communities themselves can access because this is our land.” She further said.
She emphasized that while communities value development, investments must respect human rights and follow just procedures. These calls for accountability grow louder as legal challenges against EACOP mount.
Earlier this year, four Ugandan farmers filed a case before the UK High Court seeking to have Ugandan constitutional, environmental, and climate laws applied to EACOP Ltd, the UK-registered company responsible for financing the pipeline.
According to Human Rights Watch, more than 100,000 people in Uganda and Tanzania are expected to lose land or access to land because of the pipeline and associated oil infrastructure.
Similarly, advocacy reports by Global Aktion have documented allegations of forced displacement, restrictions on civic space, and adverse impacts on communities affected by the project.
In 2025, BankTrack also urged financial institutions supporting EACOP to reconsider their involvement, citing concerns over environmental destruction and impacts on local livelihoods.
Campaigners point out that TotalEnergies keeps posting robust profits, even as criticism against the company intensifies.
