The EACOP Uganda youth protests have gained fresh momentum as young environmentalists increase pressure on banks funding the East African Crude Oil Pipeline. The group, End Fossil Occupy Uganda, wants investors to stop supporting the $4.8 billion project due to widespread displacement and climate risks.
They claim over 100,000 people in Uganda and Tanzania have already lost their land. Many families say authorities compensated them unfairly, which deepened poverty in affected areas. The youth movement insists this project threatens both people and ecosystems.
Spokesperson Felix Musinguzi criticized oil drilling in protected areas like Murchison Falls and Lake Albert. These regions host rare wildlife and support tourism. He said placing oil fields in such zones puts Uganda’s environmental future at risk.
Activists also warn that EACOP will emit over 34 million tonnes of CO₂ every year. That level of pollution, they argue, will accelerate climate change and endanger global climate goals. As a result, the EACOP Uganda youth protests are growing stronger both on the streets and online.
The pipeline will run 1,443 kilometers from Uganda’s oilfields to the Tanzanian port of Tanga. TotalEnergies leads the project with a 62% stake. Uganda and Tanzania each own 15% through national oil companies, while China’s CNOOC controls 8%.
Despite repeated opposition, several banks—including Standard Bank, Stanbic Bank Uganda, and KCB Bank Uganda—continue to fund the project. The Islamic Development Corporation of Saudi Arabia also remains involved. These endorsements have triggered a renewed wave of youth protests across Uganda.
Musinguzi vowed that young people would keep speaking out. He emphasized that they reject a future filled with pollution and broken communities. The group plans peaceful marches and online campaigns to rally support locally and internationally.
The government, however, remains firm in its defense of the pipeline. Officials argue that oil development is essential to Uganda’s economic transformation. Energy Minister Ruth Nankabirwa described EACOP as a national priority and said it will unlock new revenues.
Project manager Hadi Watfa reported that construction has reached 62% completion. He projected that Uganda will export its first oil by late 2026. Still, critics argue that such progress ignores the long-term environmental cost.
Many activists believe Uganda should invest in renewables instead. Solar and hydro energy, they say, offer cleaner and safer growth. The EACOP Uganda youth protests highlight this growing shift in public opinion, especially among younger generations.
This movement reflects a larger global pattern. Across the world, youth are calling for climate justice and sustainable choices. In Uganda, they challenge fossil fuel expansion and demand cleaner alternatives.
Unless banks and leaders reconsider their decisions, resistance will continue. While the pipeline moves forward, so does youth defiance. In the end, the EACOP Uganda youth protests may help redefine Uganda’s future development path.
Read: Exploring the environmental viability of EACOP
