pressug.com News 24 7
Related Articles
A report released by the Environment Governance Institute and Climate Rights International alleges the Kingfisher oil project is marked by military-enforced displacement, livelihood destruction, environmental damage and a rise in gendered exploitation. The report details abuses that challenge global claims of ethical energy investment in the Global South.
“The abuses detailed in the report echo patterns seen in extractive projects from the Niger Delta to the Ecuadorian Amazon,” the authors stated.
The findings focus on the area around the Central Processing facility at Kingfisher, where residents now live under constant military surveillance by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, or UPDF.
Advertisements
The report claims the UPDF enforces curfews, monitors movement and restricts access to Lake Albert. Fishing communities, long dependent on the lake, report boat seizures, roadblocks and detentions without explanation.
“Restrictions have devastated traditional livelihoods,” the report notes.
Fishing, the backbone of the local economy, is reportedly collapsing due to extortion and arbitrary fees, with women—who dominate the fish trading sector—facing harassment at informal checkpoints. The loss of income has pushed many to the margins.
Oil infrastructure has visibly altered Lake Albert. The erection of a metallic wall to secure installations has disrupted critical fish breeding zones.
Residents report the water has grown murkier and carries a chemical odor near extraction points, raising fears of waterborne disease among families who still rely on the lake for daily needs.
The report also details alleged land grabs. Land acquisition was reportedly routed through Bucoola, a company linked to Cnooc, allowing the consortium to bypass traditional landowners and avoid compensation obligations. Families report being evicted at gunpoint without resettlement support. A necessary Resettlement Action Plan remains unpublished.
The investigation highlights a surge in vulnerability for women and girls near drilling sites. Economic desperation has led to an increase in transactional sex and a rising rate of teenage pregnancies in the nearest villages.
The Kingfisher project, alongside Tilenga and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline, or EACOP, is projected to emit 379 million metric tons of carbon dioxide over the next 25 years. This figure is more than twice the combined annual emissions of Uganda and Tanzania, putting the development in direct conflict with global Paris climate goals.
The groups are calling for an immediate suspension of oil operations and an independent investigation into human rights violations and environmental harm. They also demand full compensation and legal redress for displaced communities, a pivot away from fossil fuel expansion toward community-led renewable energy initiatives, and strict adherence to international human rights standards by Cnooc, TotalEnergies and state authorities.
