The Buganda Road Magistrates Court has dismissed all charges against 20 youth protesters, including seven from oil-affected communities who were arrested in August 2024 for demonstrating against the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project.
The ruling delivered in Kampala, marks a turning point in the ongoing standoff between environmental justice advocates and state-backed oil interests in Uganda.
The group which included university students, climate activists and community youth from the Albertine region had been facing charges of unlawful assembly and inciting violence after staging a peaceful protest in the capital to demand a halt to the EACOP project citing forced evictions, environmental degradation and human rights abuses.
“We were criminalised for caring about our land, our water and our future,” said Joan Nabirye, one of the freed activists from Hoima district. “But this victory proves that truth cannot be silenced forever.”
The courtroom erupted in applause as Magistrate Sarah Tusiime read the ruling citing lack of sufficient evidence and procedural flaws in the state’s case.
She condemned the prosecution’s failure to present credible witnesses or prove that the protest posed a threat to public order.
“This is not just a legal win. It is a moral one,” said Dickens Kamugisha, CEO of the Africa Institute for Energy Governance (AFIEGO). “These youths are not criminals. They are defenders of justice and their courage should be celebrated, not punished.”
The EACOP project, a joint venture led by French oil giant TotalEnergies and the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), plans to construct a 1,443-kilometer crude oil pipeline stretching from Uganda’s oil fields in Hoima to the Tanzanian port of Tanga.
While Ugandan government believes the pipeline is a gateway to prosperity, critics have raised alarms over climate risks, land grabbing and the displacement of thousands of families.
The August 2024 protest was part of a larger movement gaining momentum among young Ugandans who see EACOP as a climate injustice that benefits foreign corporations at the expense of local communities and ecosystems.
Rights organizations including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and local civil society coalitions have condemned the arrests as part of a growing trend of state repression against environmental defenders.
Many view the court’s dismissal of charges as a rare but welcome sign that the judiciary can still serve against impunity.
“This case was meant to scare us. Instead, it has strengthened us,” said Brian Mbabazi, another protestor. “We will not stop until every voice in oil-affected communities is heard.”
Though acquitted, the 20 activists say they will now sue for unlawful detention and harassment with legal support from AFIEGO and partners. They are also planning a nationwide awareness tour to mobilize communities affected by EACOP and demand government accountability.
Also Read: Student Activists Arrested Over EACOP Project
