KAMPALA – Ugandan police arrested 47 student activists on Friday as they marched toward parliament to present a petition against a major oil development project led by French firm TotalEnergies, officials and lawyers said.
The students were protesting against the $10 billion project, which involves drilling in Lake Albert and transporting the crude oil through the East African Crude Oil Pipeline to Tanzania.
The pipeline, stretching 1,443 kilometers, will connect Uganda’s oil fields to the port of Tanga.
Environmental groups have raised concerns about the impact of the drilling on local communities and Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s largest protected area.
They argue that the project threatens biodiversity and displaces local residents.
Police spokesman Luke Owoyesigire said that two of the arrested students, who were detained at parliament, face charges of “inciting violence,” while the others, apprehended on their way to parliament, have not yet been formally charged.
The detainees are being held at two police stations in Kampala.
Samuel Wanda, a lawyer representing the activists, criticized the police action. “The demonstration was intended to deliver a petition to parliament, but the students were arrested before they reached their destination,” he said.
The protesters are urging international lenders to reconsider their financial support for the project and to redirect funds toward renewable energy initiatives.
Total Energies and China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) are spearheading the development, which aims to exploit an estimated 6.5 billion barrels of crude oil, with about 1.4 billion barrels deemed recoverable.
The project is expected to begin production in 2025.
Total Energies, which holds a 62 percent stake in the pipeline, has stated that it has taken steps to compensate displaced communities and implement environmental protections.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has praised the project as a significant economic opportunity for the country.
Email us at: info@alleastafrica.com
