Connect with us

WITNESS RADIO MILESTONES

Govt pushes for compulsory land acquisition in Buliisa

Published

5 years ago

on

Uganda’s multi-million dollar Tilenga Oil Project which is being implemented in Buliisa and Nwoya districts  faces numerous hurdles ranging from legal suits, contestation from locals to environmental concerns.

Under the project, government plans to build a central processing facility (CPF) with capacity to process 190,000 barrels of oil and 700,000 barrels of total liquid per day.

The project entails drilling 200 water injector wells, 196 oil producer wells, two polymer pilot wells and 28 reference wells which will be drilled on 31 well-pads.

The project includes Jobi-Rii, Gunya, Ngiri, Kasamene-Wahrindi, Kigogole-Ngara and Nsoga oil fields.

Government plans to build more than 160km of flow-lines which will transport crude oil and water from the wells to the CPF.

There are plans to build a   95 km 24 inch feeder pipeline which will transport the processed crude oil from the CPF in Buliisa to the export hub and refinery in Kabaale in Hoima District.

The project requires approximately 2,400 acres and the land acquisition process is ongoing.

However, it has received mixed reactions from locals in the oil rich Buliisa District.

Compensation disputes

Mr Gilbert Stephen Kaliisa, the Ngwedo Sub-county chairperson, said more than 600 project affected people (PAPs) have received cash compensation for their land and properties.

A total of  29 resettlement houses have also been built in Kasinyi with  three more pending but some PAPs have not received any compensation.

“More than nine families have not received any compensation, ”  Mr Kaliisa revealed.

An independent monitoring study conducted by the Civil Society Coalition on Oil and Gas (CSCO), with financial support from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) indicates that some PAPs rejected compensation due to hiked prices for land compared with the Shs3.5m per acre that was being considered by the chief government valuer.

The PAPs also resisted government attempts to settle them in areas with  worse social services than  they currently live.

“PAPs are concerned about blockage to social cohesion and cultural identity as the established project infrastructure will separate villages and families,” Mr Joseph Mukasa Ngabwagye,  a Senior research fellow at the Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (Acode), said.

According to the Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU), Total E& P Uganda (TEPU) has conducted a front end engineering design (FEED) study, Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) study, procurement and contracting of Wells and Drilling Related Services, Technical Surveys, Sub-Surface Studies and Land Acquisition.

TEPU has undertaken the FEED for the Enabling Infrastructure including access roads, well pads, Masindi Check Point, construction camps and Industrial Area among others.

ESIA contested

However, the ESIA report for the Tilenga project which the National Environmental Management Authority (Nema) approved in April 2019 for a period of 10 years, has been contested by a section of locals and civil society organisations who have  since dragged Nema and PAU to court seeking  cancellation of the report.

In its suit before the High Court Civil Division, the African Institute for Energy Governance (AFIEGO) states that the Tilenga ESIA was marred by flaws, procedural irregularities thereby denying AFIEGO and other interested parties a chance to effectively put forth their views aimed at protecting their right to a clean and healthy environment.

“If the said certificate of approval is not quashed, the public shall suffer irreparable damage as the approved ESIA report allows oil activities in the most sensitive biodiversity ecosystems including Murchison Falls National Park, Lake Albert, Budongo Central Forest Reserve,”  the suit reads in part.

But the Attorney General has asked Court to dismiss AFIEGO’s suit for lack of substantial merits.

“Grant of orders sought by the applicant will undoubtedly delay the implementation of the Tilenga project and eventually affect the anticipated benefits of oil to all Ugandans only for the selfish benefits of the applicant,” Ms Jane Mbabazi Byaruhanga, the PAU environment manager, said  in her affidavit filed in court. Court is yet to rule on the matter.

  Failed talks

In 2017, Mr Jelous Mulimba Mugisha was elected by locals in Kasinyi village as chairperson of the Resettlement Planning Committee (RPC) which was charged with representing the interests of the PAPS.

The committee worked closely with Total E & P Uganda, Tullow Oil and government to ensure a smooth implementation of the resettlement exercise.

“After repeated talks with officials of oil companies and government who could not address our concerns, some PAPs sued Total and government in France. We are waiting for judgement,”  Mr Mulimba said.

Ms Gladys Birungi, a mother of five, vacated her family land in Kasinyi Village in 2017 when government announced a deadline  for PAPs in an area earmarked for a CPF.

Her family rented a house in Kasinyi Trading Centre with hope of  being paid and resettled in time so that they could resume their subsistence farming.

“We demanded for Shs10 million per acre but government officials gave us Shs3.5m per acre. When we protested the compensation rate, the officials said it is up to us to accept or leave the money,” she said.

Ms Birungi is among the 30 families being resettled in houses built by the government.

She revealed that the government paid her Shs15m as compensation and disturbance allowance for her four-acre piece of land and properties but claims the payment was inadequate.

“I failed to buy an acre of land in Ngwedo Sub-county after owners demanded Shs7m per acre yet I was paid 3.5 million by government,” Ms Birungi said.

Grounds of rejection

The Kasinyi LCI Chairperson,  Mr Gilbert Balikurungi, who is among the nine people who rejected compensation said he wants the rates increased considering that the price of  his land has appreciated.

Balikurungi and others  were assessed in the 2018/2019  but have been promised  compensation in the 2020/2021 financial year.

 Govt opts for compulsory acquisition 

In a turn of events, government through the Attorney General has sued nine families in Kasinyi Village who turned down compensation.

In his miscellaneous cause No 25 of 2020 filed at Masindi High Court, the Attorney General has requested court to allow government deposit in court Shs368,887,602 being compensation for 74.21 acres which are part of the land earmarked for an industrial area for the Tilenga oil project.

The Attorney General  has  also requested court to discharge any liabilities arising out of any claim and/or action for the compensation currently in its possession in respect of the said land.

He has asked court to grant government vacant possession of the land to enable the Tilenga project to proceed.

In his affidavit in court, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy,  Mr Robert Kasande, said the Chief government valuer carried out valuations of the project land and disclosed compensations to the PAPs but the respondents disputed the value and refused to present their particular disputes to the Chief Government Valuer for consideration.

“I know that the respondent’s actions and/ or inactions have constrained the applicant’s activities and delayed the implementation of the Tilenga project all to the detriment of all Ugandans,” Kasande’s affidavit reads in part.

He said project delays are detrimental to government and oil companies, which are under the joint venture partnership. He added that the project is critical for the progress of the oil and gas sector which plays a key role in Uganda’s social -economic development.

“The delay in acquisition of required land will affect the project timelines and economics,” Mr Kasande said.

Govt confident

Asked if contestations by PAPS will affect oil projects, Ms Gloria Sebikari, the PAU Corporate Affairs and Public Relations manager, said projects are ongoing  much as there are court processes and discussions.

“We handle concerns arising with caution to ensure projects are not impended. Projects remains open to discussion to resolve intricate things arising, ” she said.

Original Post: Daily Monitor

Related posts:

Government softens on compulsory land acquisition Activists demand to know govt position on land amendment Bill Govt resurrects emotive Land Acquisition Bill. Buliisa residents grumble over land compensation Witnesses accuse Uganda Land Commission of fraud in Namboole land acquisition
Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

MEDIA FOR CHANGE NETWORK

Young activists fight to be heard as officials push forward on devastating project: ‘It is corporate greed’

Published

2 months ago

on

August 27, 2025

By

“We refuse to inherit a damaged planet and devastated communities.”

Youth climate activists in Uganda protesting the East African Crude Oil Pipeline, or EACOP, are frustrated with the government’s response to their demonstration as the years-long project moves forward.

According to the country’s Daily Monitor, youth activists organized with End Fossil Occupy Uganda took to the streets of Kampala in early August to protest EACOP. The pipeline, under construction since about 2017 and now 62 percent complete, is set to transport crude oil from Uganda’s Tilenga and Kingfisher fields through Tanzania to the Indian Ocean port of Tanga by 2026.

Activists noted the devastating toll, with group spokesperson Felix Musinguzi saying that already around 13,000 people “have lost their land with unfair compensation” and estimating that around 90,000 more in Uganda and Tanzania could be affected. End Fossil Occupy Uganda has also warned of risks to vital water sources, including Lake Victoria, which it says 40 million people rely on.

The group has been calling on financial institutions to withdraw funding for the project. Following a demonstration at Stanbic Bank earlier in the month, 12 activists were arrested, according to the Daily Monitor.

Some protesters were seen holding signs reading “Every loan to big oil is a debt to our children” and “It’s not economic development; it is corporate greed.”

Meanwhile, the regional newspaper says the government has described the activist efforts as driven by foreign actors who mean to subvert economic progress.

EACOP’s site notes that its shareholders include French multinational TotalEnergies — owning 62 percent of the company’s shares — Uganda National Oil Company, Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation, and China National Offshore Oil Corporation.

The wave of young people taking action against EACOP could be seen as a sign of growing public frustration over infrastructural projects that promise economic gain while bringing harm to local communities and ecosystems. Activists say residents face costly threats from pipeline development, such as forced displacement and the loss of livelihoods.

Environmental hazards to Lake Victoria could also disrupt water supplies and food systems, bringing the potential for both financial and health impacts. Just 10 years ago, an oil spill in Kenya caused a humanitarian crisis. The Kenya Pipeline Company reportedly attributed the spill to pipeline corrosion, which led to contamination of the Thange River and severe illness.

The EACOP project has already locked the region into close to a decade of development, and concerns about the pipeline and continued investments in carbon-intensive systems go back just as long. Youth activists, as well as concerned citizens of all ages, say efforts to move toward climate resilience can’t wait. “As young people, we refuse to inherit a damaged planet and devastated communities,” Musinguzi said, per the Monitor.

Source: The Cool Down

Related posts:

Youth climate activists raise frustration over govt’s silence on EACOP Put people above profits – Climate Activists urge Total to defund EACOP EACOP: The number of activists arrested for opposing the project is already soaring in just a few months of 2025 EACOP activism under Siege: Activists are reportedly criminalized for opposing oil pipeline project in Uganda. The East African Court of Justice fixes the ruling date for a petition challenging the EACOP project.
Continue Reading

WITNESS RADIO MILESTONES

Why matooke farming is losing ground in Bukedi

Published

2 months ago

on

August 27, 2025

By

On a humid morning in Namusango Village, Kamonkoli South Ward, Kamonkoli Town Council in Budaka District, 58-year-old farmer James Kainja walks at the edge of what used to be his flourishing matooke garden.  For generations, the green banana plant—matooke—stood tall in Uganda’s farmlands, its broad leaves swaying in the wind and its heavy bunches promising a warm, hearty meal. But in Bukedi Sub-region today, that story is fading. Between the tired banana stools, spear grass has taken over. A few bunches hang small and low quality. “We used to harvest every week,” Mr Kainja says, dusting his palms.

“Now, it is once in a while and the money is not worth the struggle,” he adds. Across Bukedi, particularly in Pallisa, Budaka, Butebo, and Kibuku, the banana plants are shrinking back, replaced by maize, cassava, rice, and other faster-growing crops.  The sub-region that once sent truckloads of matooke to nearby districts now measures its banana harvest in small piles under tarpaulin. Where the green canopy of banana leaves once dominated, the landscape has changed. For many farmers, the decision is not about abandoning tradition but about survival.

Matooke as culture

In many Bukedi households, matooke still holds cultural value, especially during weddings, funerals, and community gatherings.  But with fewer plantations, sourcing enough bunches has become harder and more expensive. Matooke is now imported into Bukedi from Mbale and Mbarara. Mr Abubakar Nanghejje, an elder in Kibuku, warns: “If this trend continues, our children may only know matooke from stories. We are losing more than a crop—we are losing a piece of who we are.”

He adds that matooke, once abundant, is now a luxury: “People only access matooke during ceremonies because the cost of a bunch has turned expensive,” he explains. Within Kibuku Town Council, women sell matooke in pieces: three or four fingers for Shs1,000, while a complete bunch costs between Shs30,000 and Shs35,000. This contrasts sharply with central and western Uganda, where matooke is more than a crop—it is an identity, a culture, and a livelihood.  Yet across the country, banana plantations are thinning out, replaced by maize, beans, or simply abandoned.

Farmers’ voices

Mr Peter Mwigala, a 73-year-old farmer from Bubulanga Village, recalls with nostalgia: “I grew matooke for 30 years. But now my plantation is less than half what it used to be. The pests are too many, the prices are too low, and the rains are no longer reliable.” His story echoes across villages, evidence of a slow, steady decline in matooke production.  This decline has unfolded over two to three decades, rather than as a sudden collapse. Agricultural researchers point to several reasons. Among them, banana bacterial wilt (BBW), banana weevils, and nematodes that have devastated plantations in major banana-growing areas. These pests cause premature ripening, rotting, and eventual uprooting of infected plants.

 “When wilt enters your plantation, you can lose everything in one season,” says Mr Abner Botiri, an agriculture officer in Budaka. He further explains that erratic rainfall and prolonged dry spells also take a toll.  Matooke thrives in consistent moisture, but under drought stress it yields smaller bunches.  Repeated losses have led some farmers to abandon the crop entirely. Continuous cultivation without soil management has also depleted many banana-growing soils. Beyond agronomic challenges, the economics of matooke farming have shifted dramatically.  Local market prices fluctuate widely depending on supply, while transport costs have risen sharply.

Mr John Gwanyi, a 71-year-old farmer, recalls: “In the 1980s and 1990s, matooke farmers could educate children through primary, secondary, and tertiary levels, and still cover basic needs. Today, a whole plantation might not pay for one term’s school fees.” Urbanisation has worsened the trend. Younger generations moving to towns now eat rice, spaghetti, and bread more frequently.

The once sacred matooke meal is no longer the undisputed centrepiece of Ugandan dining tables. Meanwhile, land fragmentation leaves families with smaller plots, unable to sustain large banana plantations.  In some areas, higher-value or quicker-return crops like coffee, passion fruit, or maize dominate.  As one agricultural economist notes: “A bunch of matooke takes nine months to mature, but maize can be ready in three months. For cash-strapped farmers, that difference matters.

Government interventions

Government and research institutions have made several attempts to address the situation.  The National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) has introduced resistant banana varieties and promoted good agronomic practices. NGOs are training farmers in mulching, proper spacing, and integrated pest management. Still, the decline carries a cultural weight. In Buganda, for instance, matooke is central to marriage ceremonies, community gatherings, and daily life.

“When you serve matooke at a function, it shows respect,” explains Mr Badiru Kirya, a cultural leader in Obwa Ikumbania bwa Bugwere. Yet, Mr Kirya attributes part of the decline to newer banana varieties introduced by research agencies. “The old varieties planted by our grandparents could withstand weather changes better. These new varieties are weaker against climate volatility,” he says. He also notes that soil infertility and population pressure have accelerated the decline, as families squeeze more onto smaller pieces of land.

National standing

Uganda remains one of the world’s largest banana consumers, with per capita consumption estimated at 250–300 kg annually in some regions. Yet, national banana production has generally declined. According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) 2024 census, only 27.1 percent of households participate in banana cultivation.  Dr Sadik Kassim, the NARO deputy director general in-charge of agricultural promotion, highlights several factors. “Soil fertility has gone low, while pests and disease build-up have grossly affected matooke gardens. Erratic rainfall and climate change further reduce yields.

Poor agricultural practices have made the decline worse,” he says. However, Dr Kassim dismisses the claim that new technologies are to blame. Similarly, Dr Rabooni Tumuhimbise, the director of research at Rwebitaba Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute, said: “As of now, I am not aware that Bukedi has registered a decline in banana production. This needs verification before conclusions.” But farmers and local leaders insist the reality is clear: matooke is disappearing from Bukedi. Mr Arthur Wako Mboizi, a seasoned politician and opinion leader, argues: “Bukedi has drastically registered a total decline in banana production due to various factors, including soil infertility, diseases, and erratic rainfall.”

Efforts are underway to add value. Under the Presidential Initiative on Banana, NARO and Kilimo Trust have developed matooke-based products such as flour, bread, and cakes. More than 13 million Ugandans consume bananas as their staple, and 75 percent of farmers grow them, contributing nearly $440 million annually to the economy. Yet, for Bukedi, the reality is sobering. The once proud producer of matooke is a shadow of its former self. As Mr Nanghejje, the Kibuku elder, put it: “We are losing more than a crop. We are losing a piece of who we are.”

Background 

In 2024, national banana production was estimated at 6 million tonnes annually, 70 percent of which was consumed at household level and 30 percent sold.

The Banana Merchandise Trade Statistics Bulletin (2024) shows export earnings rose from $2.1 million in June 2023 to $2.4 million in June 2024. Still, yields remain below potential—currently 5–30 tonnes per hectare compared to an attainable 60–70 tonnes.  Uganda’s banana losses to wilt disease are massive, with officials estimating a 71.4 percent loss of potential harvest annually, worth nearly $300 million.

Source: Monitor

Related posts:

Matooke prices drop from Shs 15,000 to Shs 1,000 in Ankole Govt injects Shs47b into cassava growing in Bukedi Uganda’s natives are becoming more powerless; losing land everyday, says a New Research Report Omoro farmers task Naro on crop varieties Uganda losing agricultural advantage to neighbours – UN.
Continue Reading

MEDIA FOR CHANGE NETWORK

Cases against anti-EACOP activism are skyrocketing in Uganda. Witness Radio has documented close to 60 cases in the last eight months.

Published

2 months ago

on

August 7, 2025

By

By the dedicated efforts of the Witness Radio team.

The Witness Radio team has documented nearly 60 cases of arrest, detention, and prosecution targeting activists protesting the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) since January 2025.

The $5 billion EACOP project, led by TotalEnergies and its partners, involves the construction of a 1,444km heated pipeline from Hoima in Uganda to Tanga in Tanzania. This pipeline, which will transport crude oil from the Tilenga and Kingfisher fields, has been a subject of controversy due to its potential environmental and social impacts.

As activism against the EACOP Project grows in Uganda, youth activists leading the cause face strong resistance from the government and its agents, who are pushing for the development of oil activities, including EACOP. Their bravery in the face of such adversity is truly inspiring.

The activists have continuously been suppressed and weakened with torture, unlawful arrests, and prolonged detentions accompanied by unscrupulous charges. The injustice they face is a call for empathy from all who hear their story.

The latest incident happened on Friday, August 1, 2025, when the police brutally arrested 12 environmental activists at Stanbic Bank Headquarters in Kampala. The urgency of the situation is apparent, as the activists were protesting against the bank’s financing of the EACOP project.

On March 26, 2025, EACOP Ltd., the company in charge of the construction and future operation of the EACOP project, announced new project financing from regional banks such as Stanbic Bank Uganda Limited, KCB Bank Uganda, African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the Standard Bank of South Africa Limited, and the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD). The announcement sparked widespread alarm and outcry, with activists urging the banks to immediately withdraw their support and halt the financing of the project.

These activists, individuals from Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and environmental enthusiasts, strongly oppose the implementation of the EACOP project. They cite its harmful effects, including the displacement of thousands of people, damage to sensitive ecosystems, a threat to water resources, and exacerbating climate change mainly through carbon emissions. They argue that the short-term economic benefits do not justify these long-term consequences.

In doing their work, they have ended up in the hands of the authorities with numerous charges slapped against them. The latest remandees include Teopista Nakyambade, Shammy Nalwadda, Dorothy Asio, Shafik Kalyango, Habibu Nalungu, Noah Kafiiti, Ismael Zziwa, Ivan Wamboga, Akram Katende, Baker Tamale, Keisha Ali, and Mark Makobe.

On the same day of their arrest, the victims were arraigned before the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate Winnie Nankya, who charged them with common nuisance. She later remanded them to Luzira prison until August 18, 2025.

Section 160 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 120 states that a person convicted of common nuisance faces a one-year imprisonment.

In response, the Stanbic Bank manager for corporate communications, Mr. Kenneth Agutamba, confirmed that the bank is financing the EACOP project, justifying that it aligns with and balances environmental sustainability and economic development in the country.

Ever since this year started, Witness Radio has documented 56 cases of arrests and illegal detentions of EACOP activists, with most of them being charged with common nuisance. Below is a chronology of these incidents as they happened.

 

Date Incident Charge
26th Feb. 2025 11 activists were arrested while marching to the European Union offices deliver a petition concerning TotalEnergies’ involvement in harmful fossil fuels in Uganda. Common nuisance
19th Mar. 2025 4 activists were arrested while marching to the Parliament of Uganda to deliver a petition to the speaker, Anita Annet Among, in protest of the ongoing construction of the EACOP Project. Common nuisance
2nd April, 2025 9 activists were arrested while marching to Stanbic bank offices. Common nuisance
23rd of April, 2025 A group of 11 activists were arrested as peacefully went to deliver a petition to KCB Uganda offices challenging its will to fund the EACOP project. Criminal trespass.
21 May 2025 9 activists arrested while protesting KCB financing of the EACOP Common nuisance.
1 Aug. 2025. 12 activists arrested for protesting the Stanbic bank funding. common nuisance

 

According to Witness Radio’s special report, “Activism on Trial: Despite the increasing repressive measures, Uganda’s EACOP Protesters are achieving unexpected victories in the country’s justice systems,” released last month, a case review revealed that while Uganda’s justice system is being used to suppress the activities of youth activists opposing the EACOP project, many of these cases have lacked merit and were ultimately dismissed.

The report found that none of the activists had been convicted, though they continue to face prolonged court processes marked by repeated adjournments. “Of a sample of 20 documented cases since 2022 involving the arrest of over 180 activists, 9 case files have either been dismissed by the courts or closed by the police due to lack of prosecution, another signal indicating the relevance and legitimacy of their work, while 11 cases remain ongoing,” the report noted.

Related posts:

Some anti-EACOP activists arrested while protesting against Stanbic Bank's financing of the EACOP project.
The latest: Another group of anti-EACOP activists has been arrested for protesting Stanbic Bank’s financing of the EACOP Project. EACOP activism under Siege: Activists are reportedly criminalized for opposing oil pipeline project in Uganda. Breaking: over 350,000 acres of land were grabbed during Witness Radio – Uganda’s seven months ban. EACOP: The number of activists arrested for opposing the project is already soaring in just a few months of 2025 Crackdown on EACOP protesters intensifies: 35 Activists arrested in just four months.
Continue Reading

Resource Center

Legal Framework

READ BY CATEGORY

Facebook

Newsletter

Subscribe to Witness Radio's newsletter



Trending

Subscribe to Witness Radio's newsletter