news 30 May 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Govt to Compensate Activists Shs40 Million for Illegal Detention Over EACOP Protest
The High Court in Kampala has ordered the government to pay Shs40 million in damages to four environmental activists unlawfully detained for six days after their arrest during an anti-EACOP demonstration. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/govt-ordered-to-pay-shs40m-to-anti-eacop-activists-over-illegal-detention-5479386
The Ugandan government has been ordered by the High Court in Kampala to pay a total of Shs40 million to four environmental activists. The activists, members of the pressure group Rooted in Resistance, were arrested on October 4, 2022, while marching to the European Union offices to deliver a petition against the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP).
They were subsequently held at Kampala Central Police Station for six days, exceeding the constitutionally mandated 48-hour limit for detention without appearing in court. Justice Collins Acellam ruled that this prolonged detention violated the activists’ fundamental right to personal liberty, awarding each of the four individuals Shs10 million in general damages.
While the court acknowledged the illegal detention, it dismissed the activists’ claims of torture and severe abuse during their custody. Justice Acellam stated that the applicants failed to provide sufficient proof, such as medical reports or corroborating affidavits, to substantiate these allegations and therefore declined to award punitive damages.
The lawyer for the activists, Mr. Eron Kiiza, expressed mixed feelings about the ruling. He welcomed the damages for illegal detention but criticized the court’s lack of punitive measures for the alleged torture, arguing it fails to fully address the victims’ plight. However, Kiiza noted the ruling serves as a significant warning to law enforcement agencies against unconstitutional detentions and called for greater recognition of the rights of environmental activists and peaceful protestors.
This decision marks another instance where the High Court has penalized the state for its handling of anti-EACOP protestors, highlighting ongoing tensions surrounding the controversial pipeline project. Similar to a previous ruling in April 2024, where three other activists received Shs10 million each for unlawful detention, this judgment underscores the legal challenges faced by those protesting the EACOP.