news 29 April 2026 The Observer (Uganda)
Eight EACOP Activists Freed After Nine Months in Luzira Prison
Eight activists protesting the East African Crude Oil Pipeline were released from Luzira Prison on April 21, 2026, shortly after receiving 11-month sentences that were offset by time already served on remand. Their ordeal highlights concerns over judicial delays, denied bail, and shrinking civic space in Uganda. Source: https://observer.ug/news/eight-eacop-protesters-walk-free-after-long-jail-ordeal
Eight campaigners against the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) walked free from Luzira Prison last week after nearly nine months behind bars. Released on April 21, 2026, they had been sentenced to 11 months by Magistrate Rophine Achayo, but prior remand time covered the full term.
Their arrest stemmed from a peaceful demonstration on August 1, 2025, at Stanbic Bank headquarters in Kampala. The group—Nalwadda Shammy, Katende Akram, Zziwa Ismail, Teopista Nakyambadde, Kalyango Shafik, Asio Dorothy, Keisha Ali, and journalist Katiiti Noah—from Rooted in Resistance, formerly Students Against EACOP Uganda, faced a protracted trial marked by multiple adjournments and four different judicial officers.
Police evidence, including CCTV and videos, dominated early hearings. The prosecution rested by November 2025, with one activist securing release via plea bargain. Delays persisted into 2026 due to magistrate unavailability, despite directives for speed. Bail pleas were rejected, even as Asio Dorothy and Keisha Ali grieved family deaths in custody.
Upon release, the activists voiced frustration. Katiiti Noah decried shrinking civic space and laws like the Sovereignty Bill targeting dissent. Keisha Ali highlighted conviction risks, from stigma to job and travel barriers. Nalwadda Shammy accused adjournments of aiming to force guilty pleas, vowing to protest again.
Lawyer Eron Kiiza called it judicial harassment to silence anti-fossil fuel voices, amid EACOP debates over economic gains versus environmental harm and community displacement. The case spotlights bail access, trial pacing, and treatment of peaceful protest in Uganda.
Source: The Observer (Uganda)