Katikiro Mayiga: ‘Buganda Kingdom Supports the Commercial Production of Oil and Gas’

The Katikiro of Buganda Kingdom, Charles Peter Mayiga has rebuked Western resolutions hindering the smooth exploration of oil in Uganda.

While visiting oil fields in the Albertine region with a delegation on Monday, the Katikiro castigated individuals and groups opposed to the ‘development’ saying Uganda must take advantage to exploit the natural resource and earn income out of it before its too late.

He explained that it makes no sense for other countries to practice the same business yet want to halt Uganda from progressing in the same direction.

Mayiga stressed that the  Buganda Kingdom fully supports the immediate commercial production of oil and gas.

“It is important to explore the resources we have in Uganda. I have heard lots of debates about whether or not Uganda should go into oil exploration but it is a resource we have endowed to us by God. If other people are exploring it I find the argument extremely disturbing for someone to say we shouldn’t explore a resource within our ground.

He adds : “So we are here to render a resource to all those who have committed to exploring oil and gas in the country and we must be aware that new technologies are being developed because much as oil still has commercial value, we need to take advantage and explore the oil because its value will come down in a few years and prices will drop.”

Mayiga has called on the government and oil companies to ensure that the Bunyoro Kingdom receives its fair share of oil revenue to contribute to regional development.

“I think Bunyoro Kingdom can get a fair share using oil revenue. If you milk a cow you must feed it, its simple logic and in Buganda we always say we should get a share of the GDP we generate to Buganda. Now you understand why we have been saying it. There must be no poverty in Bunyoro once we start getting money from oil

He however says the oil investments should not be turned into a ‘curse ‘ as it has been with other regions of the world by ensuring the environment is preserved in the Bunyoro sub-region.

“We should not experience what happened in the Delta region of Nigeria or the oil spills in the gulf of Mexico. We must not only protect the environment but promote it. Bunyoro- Kitara must recreate forests deliberately, rejuvenate swamps and water bodies using oil money so that the next generation will be grateful.” he stated

The East African Crude Oil Pipeline Project (EACOP) is a pipeline that will transport oil produced from Uganda’s Lake Albert oilfields to the port of Tang in the neighbouring Tanzania.

EACOP runs 1,443km from Kabaale, Hoima district in Uganda. 80% of the pipeline is in Tanzania. It is a buried thermally insulated 24″ pipeline along with six pumping stations (two in Uganda and four in Tanzania) ending at Tanga with a Terminal and Jetty.  Here crude oil will be loaded onto tankers.

The project serves to benefit Uganda interms of new infrastructure development , logistics, technology transfer as well as improving the livelihoods of communities along the route.