Uganda

In a podcast hosted by the German Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, Onke Ngcuka reports on her research into the impact of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) on local communities—particularly women and children. Ngcuka, a climate and environmental journalist for the Daily Maverick, found that the pipeline, which runs from Uganda to Tanzania and spans approximately 1,500 km (932 miles), has led to the displacement of communities both at its extraction point in Uganda and along its entire route. Among those displaced, women are bearing the brunt of the impact, as they are often not the official titleholders of the land they cultivate. As caretakers of land, families, and communities, the women interviewed shared that they frequently received little to none of the compensation paid to their families. For many, their ancestral lands are all they’ve ever known. Concerns are growing around food security, as local food systems—already strained by colonial legacies—face additional disruption. There is also fear that Indigenous, climate-resilient crops could be lost or replaced. Ngcuka warns that what’s happening now may be a microcosm of the region’s future, and she praises the campaign against EACOP for its efforts. While some movement leaders have had to relocate to neighboring countries for their safety, the campaign’s significance and momentum continue to grow. It was recently recognized with the Copenhagen Conference People’s Award and highlighted by 350 Africa, helping to draw more young people into the movement.