Environmental activists have renewed their campaign against the controversial East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), calling on the government to halt the project and redirect investments toward renewable energy.
Weka Afri Sustainable Biodiversity and Food Security Foundation (Weka Afri) together with other civil society groups claim that the 1,443-kilometer heated crude oil project stretching from Uganda’s Albertine region to Tanzania’s port of Tanga had already caused harm, including loss of farmland, disruption of water sources, and threats to biodiversity in one of Africa’s most ecologically sensitive regions.
The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) has faced opposition from local communities, environmental activists and international climate campaigners, who argue it exacerbates climate change risks and offers limited benefits to ordinary Ugandans.
They urged government to abandon the EACOP project and instead invest in sustainable alternatives such as solar, wind, and other renewable energy initiatives that could provide long-term benefits without compromising environmental and community rights.
The press briefing followed two months of community mobilization and training of local environmental defenders on advocacy and environmental rights.
Speaking to the media, Executive Director of Weka Afri Joackim Mumbere told journalists that the oil project undermines constitutional rights for Ugandans. “The project violates Article 39 of the Constitution, which guarantees every Ugandan the right to a clean and healthy environment,” Joackim said.
However, the government and its project developers have defended EACOP emphasising its benefits to economic growth and development. Production is expected later this year.
