The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) is a 1,443km pipeline that once completed will run through 10 districts in Uganda, stretching from Hoima in Uganda to the Indian Ocean at the Tanga Port, west of Tanzania. PHOTO | FILE
A recent survey report has exposed the alarming risk of destruction to wildlife and vegetation in Murchison Falls National Park, caused by the clearance of areas for oil extraction and injection wells, along with the necessary supporting infrastructure.
The report, titled "Murchison Falls National Park Is Dying," highlights the devastating impact of increased pressure on vulnerable species, posing a significant threat to the park's delicate ecosystem, habitat loss, reduced food availability for small and large herbivores, increased sediment run-off into water bodies, especially during well pad construction activities near the Ramsar site, and the spread of invasive species such as giant salvinia.
The report shows that the park is facing unprecedented pressure from oil and gas exploitation activities, combined with poaching, climate change, and other factors, which could ruin or degrade the almost century-old natural ecosystem
“Where well pads are close, such as JBR-07 and JBR08 which lie within 500m, wildlife may be deterred from moving in between during site clearance activities. Individuals may be deterred from using certain routes between preferred habitats when there is more intense activity and more humans are present in the landscape,” reads the report.
According to the report, the paved roads that have been constructed in MFNP to support the Tilenga oil project activities have opened it up to more motorised traffic. This has exposed wildlife to poaching, accidents as well as noise and air pollution.
“While MFNP is a critical resource for biodiversity conservation, tourism development, fisheries livelihoods and others, the park is facing unprecedented pressure from oil and gas exploitation,” adds the report.
The report shows that elephants were increasingly moving away from the park into community areas, where they have caused fatalities. As many as five people in Buliisa District, which neighbours the park, were reported to have been killed by elephants between 2023 and April 2024. The study participants indicated that the vibrations from the oil rig had affected elephants, which are sensitive to vibrations.
The report also warns that if Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) does not address the invasions by elephants, residents could engage in retaliatory killings, which endangers the conservation of the gentle giants (elephants), which are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
The report was published by the Africa Institute for Energy Governance (AFIEGO) following research to document the impacts of the Tilenga oil project infrastructural development activities on the almost century-old park. The Tilenga oil project, which is operated by TotalEnergies E&P (U) B.V., involves drilling of hundreds of oil wells in the park.
The research assessed the risks presented by development of the following infrastructure to biodiversity conservation in the park: oil rigs, well pads, oil roads and the Victoria Nile Pipeline Crossing.
The latter pipeline is supposed to be constructed under the Victoria Nile, and it will affect the Murchison Falls-Albert Delta Ramsar site, an Important Biodiversity and Bird Area which has also been proposed for UNESCO World Heritage status.
In a statement, AFIEGO called for urgent action to address the severe impacts of oil activities, climate change and poaching on biodiversity in Murchison Falls National Park, one of Uganda’s oldest, largest and most visited parks.
Ms Diana Nabiruma, the AFIEGO Senior Communications Officer explained that Murchison Falls National Park (MFNP) is a cultural heritage for the people of Bunyoro and that it bears the name of Bunyoro Kingdom's most famous king, Kabalega.
She says that the Park is also home to biodiversity such as Engabi, various antelopes, leopards, and lions that form part of the clan systems of various tribes in Uganda.
According to Nabiruma, wildlife that is most under pressure in the park and could be further lost includes crocodiles, hippos and elephants among others.
“Murchison Falls National Park is integral to Ugandans' wellbeing because not only is it an important natural and cultural heritage, it also supports the employment of millions of citizens working in the tour, travel and fisheries businesses. The pressures that the park is facing because of oil and gas, climate change, poaching and other risks are huge and if no action is taken, important biodiversity in the park could be lost. This should not be allowed to happen,” she states.
Nabiruma says Oil drilling in Murchison Park should therefore stop and the government should support Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to address the climate change and poaching challenges facing the park.
In 2023, data from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) indicate that the tourism sector which accounts for 14.7 percent of employment is important for Ugandans’ economic wellbeing.
In a shared article, the Director Legal and Corporate Affairs at the Petroleum Authority of Uganda Mr Ali Ssekatawa says that the country took decisive steps to ensure that oil and gas development proceeds sustainably through robust policies and legal frameworks, such as the National Oil and Gas Policy, National Environment Act, 2019, and the Wildlife Act, 2019 to safeguard conservation and tourism interests alongside resource exploitation.
“To sustainably manage the oil and gas developments, a suite of environment monitoring tools have been established, and are under implementation. These include the Albertine Graben Environment Monitoring Plan, the Environmental Sensitivity Atlas for the Albertine Graben, Operational Guidelines for Oil and Gas Exploration and Production in Wildlife Protected Areas, National Guidelines for Biodiversity and Social Offsets, and the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan,” says Mr Ssekatawa adding that the instruments guide effective environmental management and ensuring compliance in the Albertine Graben.
He says that government agencies have been equipped and trained to manage and monitor the environmental impacts of oil and gas activities through collaborative approach to ensure that mitigation strategies are effectively implemented and continuously improved.
“Wildlife camera traps around well pads confirmed stable lion prides and hyena clans. Studies on elephants also showed that oil exploration activities have had minimal effects on the ranging patterns of elephants, as elephant range size did not differ significantly during the period of oil exploration compared with subsequent years with no exploration,” Mr Ssekatawa added.
Earlier on, various sections of people and organizations questioned the government decision to consider giving away Murchison Falls National Game Park warning that it would lead to violation of peoples’ rights and environmental degradation.
They said that the developments were marred by irregularities and violations which would cost the economy.
In 2019, thousands of people signed an online petition against the proposal to build a dam at Murchison Falls in Murchison National park saying that the destruction of the falls amounted to dismantling their heritage
