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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) Ltd, in partnership with Safe Way Right Way Initiative Ltd (SWRW), has launched the EACOP Community Road Safety Project (CRSP), a major step in improving road safety in Uganda’s pipeline corridor.
The launch event, held at Hotel Africana in Kampala, brought together officials from the Ministry of Works and Transport, Uganda Police, the Petroleum Authority of Uganda, the Ministry of Gender, Civil Society Organisations, local leaders, and media representatives. The initiative underscores EACOP’s commitment to promoting sustainable and safe development in the communities along the 1,443 km pipeline route.
In November 2024, EACOP Ltd awarded Safe Way Right Way (SWRW) a contract to develop and implement community road safety initiatives in the districts through which the pipeline will traverse. SWRW was contracted to implement activities under the Road Safety Program that will cover 294 km across 10 districts in Uganda to mitigate road-related injuries and deaths in the EACOP districts. Some of the districts include Kyotera, Gomba, Rakai, Lwengo, Sembabule, Mubende, Kakumiro, Hoima, Kyankwanzi, and Kikuube.
Speaking at the launch of this initiative, the Managing Director of EACOP Ltd, Guillaume Dulout said, “Today marks a significant milestone in our collective journey towards building safer communities along the East African Crude Oil Pipeline corridor. Community road safety is a critical pillar of our Socio-Economic Initiatives (SEI), and this activity was initially started in Tanzania by a nonprofit NGO called Amend.”
The project will involve community outreach, capacity building for traffic police, road infrastructure assessments, retrospective crash data surveys, and the training of lay crash responders. A key highlight will be targeted awareness campaigns delivered through regional radio and roadside billboards to foster a culture of responsible road use.
This initiative builds on EACOP’s existing safety practices, such as its In-Vehicle Monitoring System (IVMS), strict speed compliance, and a no-night-driving policy for EACOP contractor vehicles.
The CRSP will also include: Recruitment of Community Liaison Officers to support local engagement; Regional inception meetings in Bunyoro and Greater Masaka; A post-crash care evaluation framework in collaboration with district health services; Training of community road safety champions and responders in high-risk zones.
“This launch is more than a ceremony; it is a call to action. It is a platform for meaningful dialogue among stakeholders’ government agencies, development partners, local leaders, researchers, and media to shape a road safety framework that is inclusive, practical, and effective,” Guillaume added.
Namuyiga Irene, General Manager of Safe Way Right Way Uganda, expressed her enthusiasm for the collaboration, saying, “We are proud to partner with EACOP on this transformative initiative. The Community Road Safety Project reflects our shared commitment to saving lives and ensuring that development brings safety, not risk, to local communities. Through strategic partnerships and evidence-based interventions, we aim to cultivate safer roads and more resilient communities across the EACOP districts.”
While officiating the launch, Minister of Works and Transport, General Edward Katumba Wamala, stated, “This partnership between EACOP and Safe Way Right Way is not just a commendable initiative it is a critical intervention at a time when Uganda’s road infrastructure is rapidly expanding. As government, we welcome this effort, because road safety is not a peripheral issue; it is central to the success of all development projects. I am proud to officially launch this collaboration and thank EACOP for recognizing that infrastructure must serve people safely.”
“Uganda is no longer landlocked we are land-linked. Our roads connect us to the region, and that means every investment in transport must be built on a foundation of safety. The communities along the pipeline have seen lifestyle changes, and with that comes the responsibility to protect lives. This project speaks directly to that need.”
The EACOP Community Road Safety Project is expected to enhance national and community-level coordination around road safety and create a replicable model for future infrastructure projects in the region.
“It is our duty as developers, contractors, government, and communities to ensure that development does not come at the cost of human life or wellbeing. That is why road safety is key to EACOP’s operations,” Dulout concluded.
