10 Remanded to Luzira Over Anti-EACOP Protest

The Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court has remanded ten young individuals to Luzira Prison. Their arrest occurred during a demonstration against the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project. The accused, whose ages range from 20 to 26, represent various professions including painter, salon worker, casual laborer, builder, mechanic, student, tailor, shopkeeper, businesswoman, and salon attendant.

Appearing before Grade One Magistrate Rophine Acayo, the ten individuals pleaded not guilty to charges of causing a nuisance on a public road. The prosecution alleges that on August 31, 2026, they gathered on King George Way in Kampala Central, obstructing traffic. Reports indicate they were wearing orange T-shirts with the slogan “Rooted in Resistance” and carried placards with messages such as “Prioritize Other Sectors of the Economy” and “Oil is Temporary, Nature is Permanent.”

The court heard that the accused did not have sureties available to vouch for them. Consequently, Magistrate Acayo ordered their remand until September 18, 2026, when the case will be mentioned and bail applications heard. This incident is part of a broader pattern of arrests and prosecutions targeting members of the “Rooted in Resistance” group for their opposition to the EACOP project.

The EACOP project, intended to transport crude oil from Uganda’s Albertine region to Tanga, Tanzania, has drawn significant opposition from environmental activists. Concerns range from environmental impact and compensation for affected communities to the transparency of the project’s underpinning agreements. Despite international criticism and calls for conservation, President Yoweri Museveni has affirmed the project’s progression.

This situation follows a recent High Court ruling in May 2026, where the government was ordered to pay Shs 40 million in damages to four environmental activists who were unlawfully detained after an anti-EACOP protest. The ruling highlighted violations of fundamental rights, underscoring the ongoing tensions between the government’s push for oil development and the concerns of environmental advocates.

Source: The Observer (Uganda)