news 5 April 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Court to Rule on Fate of Eight Anti-EACOP Activists After 253 Days in Jail
Eight student activists from Rooted for Resistance, detained for over 250 days over protests against the East African Crude Oil Pipeline, await a key judgment on April 10 at Buganda Road Chief Magistrate Court. The ruling will determine if they secure bail or remain in custody amid claims of judicial delays and rights violations. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/activists-arrested-in-anti-eacop-protests-await-court-judgment-5413644
Eight environmental activists, affiliated with the Rooted for Resistance group, are set for a pivotal court decision on April 10. Arrested on August 1, 2025, during demonstrations targeting the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), they have spent 253 days on remand.
The group—Teopista Nakyambadde, Shammy Nalwadda, Dorothy Asio, Shafik Kalyango, Noah Kafiiti, Ismail Zziwa, Akram Katende, and Keisha Ali—faces charges of public nuisance and alleged abuse of court bail. Initially a bailable offense with a one-year maximum, the case has dragged through three magistrates, causing repeated restarts and adjournments.
Their protests stormed Stanbic Bank and other institutions financing the 1,443-km pipeline from Uganda’s Hoima to Tanzania’s Tanga. Valued at $5 billion, EACOP is owned by TotalEnergies (62%), Uganda National Oil Company (15%), China National Offshore Oil Corporation (8%), and Tanzania’s Petroleum Development Corporation (15%).
Recently, EACOP secured initial debt financing from banks like Standard Bank, Stanbic Uganda, Afreximbank, and KCB Uganda, sparking fresh activism over environmental risks including habitat loss, displacements, and emissions—concerns dismissed by the government.
Lawyers Eva Kakuuma and Kato Tumusiime decry the process as frustrating defenders’ rights to assemble and protest. ‘This prejudices constitutional guarantees,’ Tumusiime stated, while Human Rights Watch urged respect for protesters’ freedoms.
In court, the activists chanted defiance: ‘We are strong and one day we shall overcome this unfair justice system.’ Supporters demand a fair ruling upholding justice.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)