(Nairobi) – Environmental defenders and anti-fossil fuel activists in Uganda routinely face arbitrary arrests, harassment, and threats for raising concerns over a planned oil pipeline in East Africa, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.
The 22-page report, “‘Working On Oil is Forbidden’: Crackdown Against Environmental Defenders in Uganda” documents the Ugandan government’s restrictions on freedom of expression, association, and assembly related to oil development, including the planned East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). Civil society organizations and environmental defenders regularly report being harassed and intimidated, unlawfully detained, or arbitrarily arrested.
“This crackdown has created a chilling environment that stifles free expression about one of the most controversial fossil fuel projects in the world,” said Felix Horne, senior environment researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The government of Uganda should immediately end arbitrary arrests of anti-oil pipeline activists and protect their right to exercise freedom of expression, in accordance with international human rights norms.”
Human Rights Watch interviewed 31 people in Uganda between March and October 2023, including 21 environmental defenders.
The oil pipeline is one of the most significant fossil fuel infrastructure projects under development globally. It will include hundreds of wells, hundreds of kilometers of roads, camps and other infrastructures, and a 1,443-kilometer pipeline, the longest heated crude oil pipeline in the world, connecting oilfields in western Uganda with the port of Tanga in eastern Tanzania.
The French fossil-fuel giant TotalEnergies is the operator and majority shareholder, alongside China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC), and the state-run Ugandan and Tanzanian oil companies. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the world’s leading authority on climate science, and others have warned that no new fossil fuel projects can be built if the world is to reach Paris Agreement goals and limit the worst impacts of climate change.
The activists are protesting both construction of the pipeline and the treatment of people in its path. Over 100,000 people in Uganda and Tanzania will lose their land for the oil developments. Many activists told Human Rights Watch that the constant threats from local government and security officials make it more difficult to provide support to those who have lost land.
The Ugandan authorities have routinely detained and arrested activists and human rights defenders on politically motivated charges. An environmental defender, Maxwell Atahura, described his 2021 arrest in Bullisa: “[The police] were asking me questions about oil … at a certain point they were calling me a terrorist, saboteur of government programs…. At the end they wrote on the police bond unlawful assembly.” Atahura also said that he has received threats and that he eventually relocated to Kampala for safety.
President Yoweri Museveni, a staunch backer of the EACOP pipeline, has warned he will not “allow anybody to play around … [with his] oil.”
Since October 2021, at least 30 people protesting or trying to address the impacts of the oil projects have experienced politically motivated arrests in Kampala and other parts of Uganda. In 2021, the government suspended 54 organizations on the basis of vague language in the country’s Non-Governmental Organisations Act of 2016, including several working on the oil sector and other environmental issues. Local organizations that continue to work on the oil issue do so under intense pressure from government and security officials who press them via phone and in person to halt their oil sector activities.
With limited options to influence government policy, some Ugandan nongovernmental groups alongside their international partners have filed suit in France against TotalEnergies. Two people who travelled to France for a court hearing in December 2019 have experienced continuous harassment by security and government officials since their return.
Activists in Uganda have heavily criticized the project because of the risks it poses to the environment, local communities, and its contribution to climate change. Activists have criticized the government for approving the project, as well as Ugandan and international companies potentially involved in its finance, insurance, construction, or operation.
Local civil society groups have become invaluable in assisting people whose land has been acquired for the oil developments to understand the compensation process and the various avenues open to them to secure fair compensation, Human Rights Watch said. In July Human Rights Watch reported human rights violations associated with the pipeline’s land acquisition project including inadequate compensation, and constant pressure from officials; threats of court action and threats from local government and security officials for those who have rejected compensation offers.
In an October 23 letter to Human Rights Watch, TotalEnergies stated they recognize “the importance of protecting Human Rights Defenders and do not tolerate any attacks or threats against those who peacefully and lawfully promote Human Rights in relations to their activities.”
Human Rights Watch has also written to Uganda’s National Bureau for Nongovernmental Organisations, a semi-autonomous office under the Internal Affairs Ministry, the Internal Security Organisation, and the Uganda Police Force, but none responded.
Due to the opposition of the pipeline from civil society organizations and climate activists in Uganda and around the world, many financial institutions and insurance companies have made a public commitment to not support the pipeline. Financing for the pipeline is yet to be finalized, although in March, a TotalEnergies official stated that the company anticipates that funding should be in place by the end of 2023.
“The construction and operation of EACOP poses grave environmental risks, human rights risks, and contributes to the global climate crisis.” Horne said. “Financial institutions and insurance companies should avoid supporting the Ugandan oil pipeline due to the devastating impacts of fossil fuels on climate change as well as future risks of serious human rights impacts.” - Human Rights Watch
The government has announced that first-time ID applicants will be issued with Maisha Cards beginning November 1, 2023.
This follows a pilot scheme that will introduce digital registration of persons in the country. Also set to receive the new card with enhanced security are applicants seeking replacements for defaced or lost cards as the government tests the country's preparedness for a full rollout of digital IDs.
In a statement, Immigration and Citizen Services PS Julius Bitok said applicants who have turned 18 years old and those seeking duplicate cards will be among the first to receive the new card.
"All Kenyans turning 18 years in whichever pad of Kenya will be issued with a Maisha Card on a pilot basis. This way, we will establish whether there are any errors or issues before we do the penultimate launch," Bitok said.
It is estimated that the National Registration Bureau receives around 10,000 applications for first-time IDs across the country every day. On average, a further 5,000 requests for duplicate cards are lodged in its offices and in Huduma Centres daily.
Bitok said the rollout will enable the government to avoid running into pitfalls similar to those that befell the unsuccessful introduction of Huduma Namba.
"Whereas we are happy with the open-door policy that the government has adopted in engaging stakeholders on digital ID, there are areas around data privacy, inclusion of all voices and unfair vetting that needs to be addressed," he added.
Maisha Card features
Maisha card will feature a microprocessor electronic chip with encrypted data. It will also have features supporting the creation of a virtual ID to be known as Maisha Digital ID for those with smartphones.
Maisha Card will feature a unique personal identifier (UPI) number known as Maisha Namba that will be the primary and lifelong registration and identification reference for its holders.
All newborns will also be issued with Maisha Namba to use in their birth certificates and subsequent registration for government services including school enrolment and health services. The same number will translate to their Maisha card number upon attainment of 18 years.
Under the proposed plan, the government will gradually phase out the 2nd generation IDs in favour of Maisha Card with the current ID number translating to Maisha Namba.
There will however be no mass registration for biometrics or a dedicated budget for the exercise according to PS Bitok.
"During the rollout of Huduma Number, all Kenyans were asked to register afresh. Billions of shillings were used to roll it out. For Maisha Namba, we not harvesting biometrics nor are we asking for additional money. We are using the existent budget for the registration of persons for the Maisha Namba ecosystem rollout," he added.
Residents of Greater Masaka region have been urged to embrace saving money in banks because it comes with different benefits, such as safety, but also contributes to an improvement in livelihood.
Masitula Naava, the deputy resident city commissioner (RCC) in charge of Nyendo-Mukungwe in Masaka city, said this during the official opening of the two-day market event organized by Stanbic bank on October 27.
“As stakeholders, we still have a lot to do, especially in sensitizing the community to embrace saving money in banks. Many people have chosen not to keep their money in the banks because they think it is for a select few. However, many have fallen victim to con men who take advantage of them by encouraging them to invest in Ponzi schemes,” Naava said.
She called upon Stanbic officials to invest in grassroots mobilization, which she said will help the public get closer to learning about the projects of the bank and eventually pick interest in them.
“People can only embrace and own the bank’s projects if you teach them. Therefore, I encourage you to take your mobilization to the grassroots level because the public still needs to learn more about your services,” Naava added.
Flagged off last year, the market days have become a part of activities organized by the lender through the “L.O.V.E. October” programme, which is a period of giving back to the community and appreciating them for the support rendered throughout the year.
Stanbic’s head of marketing, Daniel Ogong, said, “As a bank, we believe that this is an opportunity for us to meet and interact more with our clients, to appreciate them, but also to get to know how we can serve them better. We are driven by our theme, ‘Uganda is our home; we drive her growth’.”
“We can only achieve better results if we work closely with our clients. The market days come with more opportunities, such as exposure and networking and we hope the public will take advantage of them,” Ogong added.
Florence Namayanja, the mayor of Masaka city, appreciated Stanbic for working hand in hand with the authorities in the region. “Development can only be achieved if there is synergy between the informal and formal sectors. We thank Stanbic for being exemplary and always working hand in hand with us whenever there is need,” she said.
Meanwhile, Stanbic wrapped up this ‘Love October’ Month Campaign over the weekend by donating maternal equipment that included a hydroelectric table, modern adjustable maternity beds, and Mama Kits, among oth- ers, to Alebtong District Health Centre IV, which is situated about 50 kilometres from Lira city.
According to the medical officer in charge, Dr John Baptist Ogwal, the health centre serves hundreds of disadvantaged families in the Lango sub-region, handling between 4000 and 5000 outpatients, 150 to 200 maternity cases, and nine to 20 C-sections monthly.
In May last year, Stanbic, in partnership with the ministry of Health and other private sector entities, launched the corporate society initiative aimed at raising Shs 5.9 billion for safe motherhood. The first phase of the Corporate Society for Safe Motherhood’s support will be implemented in four high-volume facilities with key infrastructure and equipment gaps. The facilities include health centre IVs in Packwach, Busanza, Bukasa, and Mukono general hospital. By URN/ The Observer
Members of South Sudan parliament in their first session. [Photo by Awan Achiek/Sudans Post]
In an interview with Sudans Post, Honorable Juol Nhomngek Daniel, MP for Cueibet County on the ticket of the main armed opposition SPLM-IO under First Vice President Riek Machar, said lawmakers have gone four months without their salaries.
South Sudan members of parliament have gone several months without being paid and are unable to hold sessions because the owner of the Freedom Hall, where the parliament has been meeting, has not yet been paid, an MP said.
In an interview with Sudans Post, Honorable Juol Nhomngek Daniel, MP for Cueibet County on the ticket of the main armed opposition SPLM-IO under First Vice President Riek Machar, said lawmakers have gone four months without their salaries.
“The parliament is now going four months without salaries and services. The cars of the chairpersons [of specialized committees] are without fuel and the members have packed all their cars at home,” Nhomngek said on Tuesday.
“Up to now we are just setting under trees the work of parliament is not going anywhere, this has affected the work of so many committees,” he added.
Nhomngek further revealed that due to shortage of funds, the parliamentary sessions have been adjourned for weeks because the business owner of the Freedom Hall has not been paid for the use of his space.
“There was a time when parliament could not have a sitting in the Freedom hall because they were not paid which led to the sitting not to go on, all this comes because of management crisis we are not told how the resources of parliament are manage,” he added.
The lawmaker said members of parliament who speak about resources mismanagement are subjected to suspension because the leaders of the parliament are against anyone speaking out about the practices.
“When we talk like this, we are subjected to suspension, but we cannot stop because it’s the country which is dying once the parliament is dead the all-county is dead, now we are not even able to question the executive,” he said.
He further said that the parliament is not effectively operating and that “it is only the trips like the Speaker Jemma Nunu has gone on the trips with other members,” that ware taking place as the main activities. Sudans Post
King Charles III expressed his deep regret and sorrow for the past atrocities committed by the British government against Kenyans during their struggle for independence, labeling them as “abhorrent and unjustifiable.”
The King, accompanied by Queen Camilla, made these remarks during a State Banquet hosted by President William Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto during their visit to Kenya in October 2023.
At the event, also attended by Opposition chief Raila Odinga, King Charles III addressed the painful past, saying, “There were abhorrent and unjustifiable acts of violence committed against Kenyans as they waged a painful struggle for independence and sovereignty – and for that, there can be no excuse.”
While he did not offer a formal apology, the King acknowledged the “painful aspects” of the United Kingdom’s colonial history. The visit, however, has been marked by demands from rights groups and survivors for a public apology and reparations.
King Charles III expressed his willingness to meet with those who were affected by these historical wrongs to “deepen my own understanding of these wrongs.” He emphasized the importance of both sides addressing historical injustices with honesty and openness.
The King spoke of the need for both nations to come together and address the injustices of the past, stating that it would strengthen the relationship between the United Kingdom and Kenya. He quoted Jomo Kenyatta, saying, “Our children may learn about the heroes of the past. Our task is to make ourselves the architects of the future.”
The King’s visit was overshadowed by the brutal suppression of the Mau Mau uprising in the 1950s, in which over 10,000 people were killed, and others were tortured, marking one of the British Empire’s most violent insurgencies. The Mau Mau resistance group remained outlawed and was designated a terrorist organization by the colonial government and subsequent administrations in independent Kenya.
It was not until 2003 that the law was changed, and members of the Mau Mau were finally recognized as freedom fighters.
The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) had previously called for a public apology and compensation for victims of British historical injustices, demanding that it be “unconditional and unequivocal.” They also called for effective reparations in line with United Nations Principles and Guidelines.
Rights groups in Kenya had faced hurdles, with police blocking an attempt by survivors of British Army crimes in Kenya to hold a press conference at the Boulevard Hotel. Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who was absent during their Majesties’ visit, has been an advocate for justice for Mau Mau uprising victims. By Bruhan Makong, Capital News
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