KIKUUBE– Subjects of the Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom are enraged about the recent resolution by the European Union [ EU ] parliament denouncing the construction of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline [EACOP].
In their resolution, the EU alleged that if the construction of EACOP goes ahead, it will ruin biodiversity of Bunyoro and cause irreversible climate change effects.
The EU parliament also alleged Ugandan government has violated the human rights of Ugandans.
National Unity Platform president Robert Kyagulanya a.k.a Bobi Wine has welcomed EU’s resolution on EACOP, even though he has been criticised by some Ugandans for supporting the EU resolution.
In their resolution, the EU Parliamentarians claimed that several people’s rights were being violated during the land acquisition processes of the oil project, an accusation the Ugandan government says is false, since people were compensated after agreeing to vacate their land.
Amlan Tumusiime the Kikuube district resident commissioner condemned the resolution of EU Parliament and described it as unfair and baseless.
He called on all the Kingdom subjects to stand up and support the government in the fight against the resolution, which he said is not in good faith.
He noted that over 1,000 people who were affected were engaged and those who opted for cash were given money and those who opted for relocation were given houses and titled land where they are currently living.
He added the people affected by the EACOPE were engaged, and that those who opted for cash compensation were given money, while those who opted for relocation were given land elsewhere and had houses built for them.
He said the EU resolution is just against the development of Uganda and East Africa and not about the environment and rights of the people which they are using.
While on a field tour at Kingfisher oil field in Buhuka parish Kyangwali Sub-county in Kikuube district, the Prime Minister of Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom Andrew Byakutaga also condemned the resolution of EU parliament
He noted that the EU resolution is based on falsehoods and challenged them to send representatives to Uganda to get the correct information before deciding against Uganda’s oil development.
Byakutaga wondered why the EU parliament did not analyse the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment [ESIA] of the oil projects in Bunyoro, which has been made public.
Pastor Edward Mwesigwa and Nelson Junjura, members of Kikuube Elited Group said the EU resolution was uncalled for, urging the Europeans to discuss the matter with the Ugandan government.
They fear that stopping the oil project will affect Banyoro in many ways such as loss of jobs and business.
They explained that several projects such as roads and airport projects have been implemented in the region, adding that stopping the oil projects will deter the development of the Kingdom and demanded the EU parliament to recede their resolution.
Godfrey Bosobozi, one of the businessmen in Kikuube district said that as people of Bunyoro don’t believe in what the EU parliament said about EACOP.
EACOP) is a pipeline that will transport oil produced from Uganda’s Lake Albert oilfields to the port of Tanga in Tanzania where the oil will then be sold onwards to world markets. The pipeline is buried and once topsoil and vegetation have been re-instated people and animals will be able to cross freely anywhere along its length.
EACOP runs 1,443km from Kabaale, Hoima district in Uganda to the Chongoleani Peninsula near Tanga Port in Tanzania. 80 percent of the pipeline is in Tanzania.
https://thecooperator.news/govt-to-ready-eacop-license-in-three-months-after-receipt-of-application/
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