EACOP, Buganda Kingdom sign MoU on tree growing and sports centre in Masaka
Bulange, Kampala – The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) Ltd. and Buganda Kingdom have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at boosting environmental conservation and community development through tree growing and the construction of a modern sports centre in Masaka.
Under the agreement, Buganda Kingdom has committed 120 acres of land to the Ekibira Kya Kabaka tree-growing initiative and 10 acres for a sports facility in Buddu County, Masaka District. EACOP will finance the construction of the sports centre, envisioned as a hub for nurturing young talent, promoting fitness, and uniting communities.
Guillaume Dulout, EACOP’s Managing Director, said the partnership reflected a long-term vision. “Through this MoU, we are committing to advance sustainability and socio-economic development. By restoring ecosystems through tree growing and supporting the sports centre, we are sowing seeds that will grow into a legacy of resilience, empowerment, and progress,” he said.
Buganda’s Katikkiro, Charles Peter Mayiga, welcomed the collaboration but cautioned that oil wealth should not overshadow Uganda’s most valuable resource; its environment. “The greatest endowment we got from God is not even oil. It is the environment; the fauna, flora, and water. That is why it is important to protect it,” he said. He urged that oil revenues be directed towards education, health, agriculture, and infrastructure, warning against the “Dutch disease” where reliance on resource wealth undermines other economic sectors.
Energy and Mineral Development Minister Ruth Nankabirwa praised Buganda Kingdom for backing the project at a time when civil society organisations have criticised EACOP. “This is a good project for Uganda and East Africa. The Katikkiro mobilised people at a critical time when we were grappling with anti-development voices. We shall not disappoint you,” she said.
Buganda officials also underscored the ecological value of the initiative. Mariam Nkalubo Mayanja, representing the Ekibira Kya Kabaka project, said tree growing would benefit air and water quality, biodiversity, and local livelihoods. “This time we don’t just plant trees, we grow them. They provide oxygen, absorb carbon dioxide, and give us food, medicine, and habitats for wildlife. We must treat trees as the most valuable resource for our future generations,” she said.
However, the deal comes against the backdrop of long-running criticism of EACOP. Civil Society Groups in Uganda and abroad have warned that the pipeline stretching 1,443 km from Hoima in Uganda to Tanga in Tanzania poses risks to the environment, land rights, and communities along its route. In 2022, the European Parliament passed a resolution calling for its suspension, while activists in Uganda and France have pursued legal challenges against the project.
For Buganda Kingdom and EACOP, the new MoU signals a shared commitment to community investment. But for critics, it raises questions over whether such initiatives are genuine development projects or public relations efforts to soften opposition to one of Africa’s most controversial infrastructure projects.
