Magufuli’s death might affect Pipeline project negotiations – CSOs in Greater Masaka region

By Milly Nayiga

24^th March 2021

Different Civil Society Organizations -CSOs in Greater Masaka Region have said the death of Tanzanian President John Pombe Magufuli will hamper the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project processes especially the compensation process for the people affected by the oil pipeline project.

Winfred Ngabiirwe, the Executive Director of Global Rights Alert (GRA) says that Magufiuli’s demise will delay the vital negotiations on the pipeline project.   She says his absence may also change the dynamics because he personally was the biggest pusher for the project.

Ngabiirwe says that any delays in negotiations will affect the Final Investment Decision, and this will affect not only communities that have awaited compensation for several years but also demoralise the investors in the oil sector who have looked forward to the FID.

The people affected by the oil pipeline project are in Kyotera, Rakai, Lwengo, Sembabule and Gomba areas.

However, Christopher Kalemba, the Kakuuto County MP, says that Magufuli’s death will not impede the processes as the CSOs allege since several agreements have already been signed and the new Tanzanian leader will have to continue from where Magufuli stopped.

The Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU) has postponed the launch of the Tilenga Development Project and the EACOP project due to Magufuli’s death. The launch was planned to take place on March 22, 2020 but it was deferred to April.