The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Hoima, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Buganda’s Katikiro, Charles Peter Mayiga, has strongly condemned any resolutions aimed at impeding the progress of oil exploration in Uganda. Mayiga, leading a delegation from the Buganda Kingdom on a visit to the oil fields in the Albertine region, expressed the Kingdom’s dissatisfaction with resolutions made by foreign countries to halt oil and gas exploration in Uganda.
He said that he considers such resolutions as detrimental to Uganda’s development and views those responsible as adversaries of the country’s progress. Mayiga emphasized that the Buganda Kingdom fully supports the immediate commercial production of oil and gas, as it believes this resource is crucial for the development of various sectors in the country.
Any decision that delays oil development will not be supported by the Kingdom, as it may hinder the necessary infrastructure required for oil extraction in the Albertine Graben.
Mayiga called on the government and oil companies to ensure that the Bunyoro Kingdom receives its fair share of oil revenue to contribute to regional development.
He also highlighted the importance of conducting oil activities in an environmentally friendly manner and urges investments in environmental preservation in the Bunyoro sub-region.
Andrew Byakutaga, the Prime Minister of the Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom, said they collaborate with the government and oil companies to ensure that the people of Bunyoro benefit from the oil and gas sector. He expressed full support for the construction of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) and other oil-related activities, citing their positive impacts on the region, such as the construction of oil roads, job creation, and infrastructure improvements.
Byakutaga emphasized the need for oil companies to restore the environment and preserve cultural heritage sites affected by oil activities.
The resolution passed by the European Parliament to delay the EACOP project in response to alleged human rights violations and environmental concerns is also mentioned. The resolution raised concerns over the wrongful imprisonment of human rights defenders, suspension of NGOs, inadequate compensation for land evictions, and the potential displacement of thousands of people.
The EU Parliament also called for an end to extractive activities in protected ecosystems and expressed concerns about drilling in Murchison Falls National Park and the pipeline’s impact on other protected areas. The EACOP project aims to transport Uganda’s crude oil from Hoima to Tanga Port in Tanzania, covering a distance of 1,443 kilometers. The pipeline route traverses multiple districts in Uganda and Tanzania, with land acquisition for the project initiated in 2018.
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