OIL EXPLORATION

President Yoweri Museveni has offered assurance that Uganda's oil project "shall proceed as stipulated in the contract we have with TotalEnergies and CNOOC [China National Offshore Oil Corporation]".

His reassurace on Friday came only days after a motion moved in the European Union (EU) Parliament that seeks to block the construction of the proposed $3.8b (sh14 trillion) East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP).

The motion is on account of breach of human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Uganda and Tanzania.

Uganda's Parliament protested the motion, a  reaction that President Museveni said "interested me in making some comments of reassurance to our people".

"I want to assure you that the project shall proceed as stipulated in the contract we have with TotalEnergies and CNOOC," he said.

"We should remember that TotalEnergies convinced me about the pipeline idea; if they choose to listen to the EU Parliament, we shall find someone else to work with.

"Either way, we shall have our oil coming out by 2025 as planned. So, the people of Uganda should not worry."

In February this year, the final investment decision on Uganda's oil was announced at a ceremony held at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds in Kampala.

TotalEnergies chief executive Patrick Pouyanné announced the long-awaited decision on behalf of he joint venture projects.

Also related: Final investment decision on Uganda's oil announced

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa, in his communication to Parliament, condemned the EU Parliament motion, saying it was moved by individuals who were misinformed about the activities surrounding the development of the oil and gas industry in the region.

He said the motion will scare away investors and that it seeks to keep developing countries begging for funds from them.

"Western countries are seeking to import gas from Africa. Is energy security a preserve for EU? Doesn't Uganda need energy security?" asked Tayebwa.

On the global greenhouse emissions, he said the emissions from Africa are small compared to those in Europe and America.

The Deputy Speaker said compensations and resettlement have been made for project-affected persons and that they are ongoing.

"Our oil will generate revenue for the state, support agriculture, tourism and other sectors of the economy. This House has approved investments in oil roads and other inftrastructure. We need to address efforts aimed at frustrating our efforts. I call on the EU Parliament to withdraw the motion."

TotalEnergies chief executive Patrick Pouyanné

Meanwhile, in a related development, the first batch of the long-awaited Kingfisher oilfield rig has reached Mombasa port in neighbouring Kenya, and will soon be in Uganda.

Zack Lubega, CNOOC's head of corporate affairs, told New Vision that the rig is currently being offloaded, checked and will be transported to Uganda in two week's time.

He said the components will be transported to Uganda by road and assembled in Buliisa district.

The Kingfisher project involves a planned Central Processing Facility with a capacity f 40,000 barrels of oil per day and 31 wells to be drilled on four well pads.

(Additional reporting by Mary Karugaba)