Belgian activist, Ugandan students arrested in anti-Eacop protest

Ms Marjolein Moreaux, a Belgian national and founder of Extinction Rebellion Belgium, was arrested alongside three Ugandan university students from the Justice Movement Uganda while marching to the Chinese Embassy to protest the planned construction of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP).

Seven activists marched to the embassy to present a petition urging the Chinese government to withdraw support for the China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC), one of the primary funders of the EACOP project. Four of the activists were arrested.

Deputy police spokesperson for Kampala Metropolitan, Luke Owoyesigyire, confirmed that four activists were arrested, stating they would face charges of common nuisance and inciting violence.

“Today is my birthday but the only gift I want is the Chinese government denouncing its support towards the EACOP. I visited Murchison Park last week and what I saw did not make me happy. I just want one thing, stop EACOP, because local people are being expelled from their houses, the wildlife is going to be chased away from their habitants and we lose both biodiversity and tourism. There is already a huge negative impact of global warming here in Uganda and the world at large brought by fossils fuel,” Ms Moreaux said.

Mr Brian Waswa, the leader of the Justice Movement Uganda and a student at Kampala International University, highlighted the group’s extensive research, revealing serious human rights violations and environmental destruction linked to the EACOP project.

“We firmly believe that the continuation of this project poses imminent dangers to the people, wildlife, and environment of Uganda and the East African region. The pipeline passes through protected areas like Murchison Falls National Park, a sanctuary for wildlife and biodiversity that is home to over 75 animal species, including iconic elephants and giraffes. It also boasts more than 450 bird species and plays a pivotal role in Uganda's economy, contributing 59 percent of the country's fish exports and generating substantial revenue,” he stated.

Mr Ibrahim Mpiima, a student at Kyambogo University, noted that the planned drilling sites and pipeline route would cut through game reserves inhabited by iconic animals such as lions, giraffes, and buffaloes, which attract tourists from around the world.

“The fact that roads constructed to transport pipeline components within Murchison Game Park have driven elephants and other animals into nearby villages, resulting in crop damage and property destruction, this disrupts the delicate balance of ecosystems and endangers local livelihoods,” he said.

The activists' arrests follow a recent incident where police detained 31 students from the umbrella group Students against EACOP at the same embassy over similar concerns.

The contested EACOP project is a 1,443-kilometer crude oil export pipeline designed to transport oil from Kabale, Hoima District, in Uganda to a maritime port facility on the Chongoleani peninsula in Tanga, Tanzania. The project is being developed by four partners, including TotalEnergies (holding 62 percent shares), CNOOC (8 percent), and the Ugandan and Tanzanian governments (each holding 15 percent).

The pipeline will traverse 10 districts—Hoima, Kikuube, Kakumiro, Kyankwanzi, Mubende, Gomba, Sembabule, Lwengo, Rakai, and Kyotera—affecting 27 sub-counties, three town councils, and 171 villages.

This is not the first instance of public dissent against the $3 billion project. In 2020, a group of environmental activists filed a lawsuit in the East African Court of Justice seeking to block the project, citing concerns over potential harm to fragile ecosystems and local livelihoods. However, five judges dismissed the petition in November 2022 on the grounds that it was filed outside the prescribed time limit for adjudication.

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