Activist Groups Granted Opportunity to Appeal Ruling on EACOP

The East African Court of Justice has allowed activist groups to submit written arguments in an appeal aiming to overturn a previous ruling blocking the construction of the East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP).

The court, based in Arusha, dismissed a case filed by activist groups including the African Centre for Energy Governance (AFIEGO) in November 2023, stating that it lacked jurisdiction due to a timing issue.

However, AFIEGO, alongside other organizations such as the Center for Food and Adequate Living Rights (CEFROHT) from Uganda, Natural Justice from Kenya, and the Centre for Strategic Litigation (CSL) from Tanzania, appealed against this decision.

They argue that the EACOP violates various East African and international treaties and laws related to environmental protection and human rights.

The court’s Appellate Division has instructed the activists to submit their written submissions by March 22, 2024. Additionally, the governments of Uganda and Tanzania, along with the Secretary General of the East African Community (EAC), who are respondents in the case, have been directed to file their counterarguments by April 22, 2024.

AFIEGO’s CEO, Dickens Kamugisha, expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision, emphasizing the importance of challenging projects like the EACOP that threaten natural resources and communities’ livelihoods.

Similarly, Farida Aliwa, Executive Director of Natural Justice, affirmed their commitment to protecting the environment and the well-being of East African people through their submissions to the court.

The EACOP, a 1,443-kilometre pipeline running from Uganda’s Lake Albert to Tanzania’s Tanga port, has faced opposition from activist groups citing environmental concerns. However, both Uganda and Tanzania have maintained that the project will not have adverse effects on the environment.

The case against the EACOP was initially filed on November 6, 2020, by civil society organizations from Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania, alleging violations of several treaties and conventions related to environmental sustainability and human rights.