KAMPALA — On a quiet Tuesday morning, a group of university students carrying nothing more than placards and a petition found themselves face-to-face with tear gas, and handcuffs. Their crime? Daring to speak out against the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP).
The students—most from Kyambogo and Makerere universities—had marched peacefully to the Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) headquarters in Kampala. Their mission was simple: deliver a petition opposing the bank’s financial support of the controversial pipeline project that stretches through western Uganda. The message they carried was equally simple but urgent: “No to oil.”
But they never got the chance to deliver it.
Before they could deliver the petition, the police swooped in. Tear gas scattered the group, chaos followed, and nine students were arrested on the spot. Among those taken into custody were student activists Habib Karungu, Shamim Nalwadda, and Bernad Mutenyo. They are currently being held at Old Kira Road Police Station.
Environmental advocate Shafik Karyango, who helped organize the action, stood just meters away as the arrests unfolded. “All we wanted was to hand over a petition,” he said. “But the bank alerted the police instead of listening to our concerns.”
Karyango’s disappointment was palpable. “KCB is among the few banks that continue to ignore the human and environmental costs of EACOP,” he said. “Our colleagues were trying to speak for voiceless communities, but they were silenced with force.”
A Growing Crackdown
This isn’t an isolated incident. In fact, it marks a disturbing pattern of repression targeting Uganda’s environmental and human rights defenders. Since May 2024, at least 81 individuals have been arrested for protesting against large-scale oil projects, with many held in detention without clear charges. In August, 72 more activists—including local community leaders—were arrested and detained without trial.
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders has publicly condemned these actions, accusing the Ugandan government of attempting to “systematically dismantle civil society through arbitrary arrests, surveillance, and the criminalization of peaceful dissent.”
Among those still imprisoned is Bob Barigye, a longtime environmental campaigner. He was one of 11 activists arrested in a similar protest at KCB in late 2024 and remains incarcerated at Luzira Maximum Prison.
Why the Outrage?
The East African Crude Oil Pipeline has been under scrutiny since its conception. Stretching over 1,400 kilometers from Uganda’s Lake Albert region to Tanzania’s port of Tanga, it is the world’s longest heated oil pipeline—and one of its most controversial.
Opponents argue that the pipeline threatens both people and planet. The project has already displaced hundreds of families, disrupted fragile ecosystems, and drawn fierce international criticism for its contribution to climate change.
“This is not just about oil,” said Karyango. “It’s about lives uprooted. It’s about wetlands destroyed. It’s about the future of a generation.”
Water resources like Lake Albert, which many communities rely on for fishing and drinking water, are especially at risk. Activists warn that a leak or spill could devastate entire ecosystems and livelihoods.
Personal Stakes
For many young Ugandans, the battle against EACOP is deeply personal. Some of the students arrested on Tuesday come from regions directly affected by the pipeline’s construction. They’ve watched family farms vanish, homes cleared, and compensation fall short—or never arrive at all.
“The government likes to say we are being funded by foreign agents,” Karyango said. “But the truth is, for most of us, this is about our people, our land, our future.”
Despite the arrests, student leaders say they won’t be deterred. Plans for further petitions and protests are already underway.
The Road Ahead
The case of the Kyambogo and Makerere students has reignited public debate about the cost of Uganda’s oil ambitions. While the government and international oil companies tout the economic benefits, critics argue that short-term profits are being prioritized over human rights, environmental protection, and long-term sustainability.
Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on KCB and other financial institutions to withdraw funding from the pipeline. International advocacy groups have begun calling out banks that continue to support the project, urging them to divest and reconsider their role in environmental harm.
Whether the petition reaches KCB or not, the message is out: a generation of young Ugandans is refusing to stay silent.
As one of the placards at Tuesday’s protest read: “You can jail the messengers, but not the message.”
