The Ugandan authorities are stirring up controversy in connection with the TotalEnergies-led oil megaproject in the country. The $10 billion project, which also involves Tanzania and China’s CNOOC, includes the drilling of 419 wells, a third of which are located in the Murchison Falls Natural Park, and the construction of a 1,443-kilometer pipeline to connect them to the Tanzanian coast.
The background to the Ugandan oil megaproject
This project is vigorously defended by President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled Uganda since 1986. However, there is growing opposition to the project from environmentalists, who fear for the region’s fragile ecosystem and local populations.
Testimonials from people affected by the project
According to HRW, the authorities regularly arbitrarily arrest, harass and threaten environmental activists. John Kaheero Mugisa, former president of an association campaigning for fair compensation for displaced persons, claims to have been arrested several times and to have seen his health deteriorate after seven months in detention, according to testimonies gathered by the NGO.
Jealousy Mugisha, one of the people displaced by the project, has sought refuge in France, where Ugandans and French and Ugandan associations have launched a civil action to seek compensation for the damage suffered. On his return, he was detained and interrogated for hours at the airport by government agents, who threatened him.
The NGO also collected testimonies from students arrested during demonstrations against the project in Kampala. One of the participants in these rallies claims to have been severely beaten by uniformed security guards.
HRW researcher Felix Horne deplores the fact that this crackdown has created a frightening environment that hinders freedom of expression concerning one of the world’s most controversial fossil fuel projects. He calls for an end to arbitrary arrests.
TotalEnergies’ reaction and the European Parliament’s concerns
TotalEnergies, the company behind the megaproject, has stated that it recognizes the importance of protecting human rights defenders and that it will not tolerate any attacks or threats against those who peacefully and legally promote human rights. In September 2022, the European Parliament expressed concern about human rights violations against project opponents in Uganda and Tanzania, calling on TotalEnergies to consider an alternative route to better preserve protected ecosystems and water resources.
This case highlights the tensions surrounding the TotalEnergies oil megaproject in Uganda, with serious accusations of abuses committed against opponents. It also stresses the importance of protecting
