EACOP Construction to Proceed as Planned Despite Opposition

The construction of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) will proceed as planned, with project officials affirming that any attempts to disrupt or sabotage the work will not be tolerated. John Bosco Habumugisha, Deputy Managing Director of EACOP in Uganda, urged the public to support the project, emphasizing that it is being executed with environmental sustainability in mind. 

He addressed concerns raised by activists, assuring that all necessary measures are in place to mitigate environmental impact. Habumugisha cautioned youth in the Bunyoro sub-region and across Uganda against being manipulated by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society organizations (CSOs), which he claimed offer small sums of money to disrupt oil development activities in the Albertine Graben. 

He encouraged them to support the project instead. He also reassured that EACOP adheres to international environmental and social standards, including the International Finance Corporation’s (IFC) principles on sustainable development. 

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Habumugisha further noted that 85% of the workforce on the EACOP project in Uganda consists of locals, something he believes citizens should appreciate. 

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Despite these assurances, EACOP has faced opposition, particularly from Project-Affected Persons (PAPs). In December last year, hundreds of PAPs in Kikuube staged a protest demanding an immediate halt to the project. Carrying placards with messages such as “No to land grabs,” “No to eviction,” “No to environmental harm,” and “Stop EACOP,” they called for a suspension of activities until their grievances were fully addressed. 

The protesters also decried alleged harassment and intimidation by project implementers and demanded the protection of natural parks and biodiversity. They insisted that all oil activities in national parks and protected areas should cease to preserve biodiversity for future generations. The 1,443 km pipeline, which will transport crude oil from Hoima, Uganda, to the port of Tanga, Tanzania, is a $5 billion project jointly owned by TotalEnergies (62%), CNOOC Uganda (8%), the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (15%), and the Uganda National Oil Company. 

Construction is being handled by a joint venture between China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Co. Ltd and Worley Limited. The pipeline will feature six pump stations, two pressure reduction stations, and a marine export terminal in Tanzania. So far, over 100 kilometers of the pipeline have been laid across Uganda and Tanzania. The pipeline route traverses several Ugandan districts, including Hoima, Kikuube, Kakumiro, Mubende, Gomba, Kyankwanzi, Sembabule, Lwengo, Kyotera, and Rakai before crossing into Tanzania.

In 2022, the European Parliament called for a one-year delay of the project, citing human rights violations and environmental concerns. The resolution highlighted alleged abuses such as the wrongful imprisonment of human rights defenders, arbitrary suspension of NGOs, and forced evictions without proper compensation. The EU Parliament also warned that more than 100,000 people could be displaced and raised alarms over the project’s impact on protected areas, including Lake Albert and Murchison Falls National Park, where TotalEnergies plans to drill 132 wells. 

The resolution demanded a halt to extractive activities in these sensitive ecosystems. In August 2024, PAPs in Hoima attempted to stage a peaceful demonstration but were blocked by police. About 300 protesters had planned to march to the Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU) offices in Hoima to demand a halt to construction. They also intended to deliver a petition to TotalEnergies and EACOP. Despite the protests, project officials maintain that construction will proceed as scheduled, with ongoing engagement efforts to address concerns raised by affected communities and stakeholders.