UGANDA, Hoima | Real Muloodi News | Landowners in the Albertine Graben region of Buliisa District stormed the High Court in Hoima to protest against forceful evictions without compensation for the Tilenga oil project by TotalEnergies.
The project, expected to produce 190,000 barrels of oil per day, will displace at least 42 families.
The protesting Hoima oil landowners carried placards with messages such as “Stop land grabs,” “Don’t displace us for oil,” and “Justice denied.”
Fred Mwesige, one of the landowners and a protest leader, read out the petition at the High Court, criticising Justice Jessy Byaruhanga’s handling of the Attorney General’s petition.
The Attorney General filed the petition on December 4, 2023, requesting the court allow the Ministry of Energy to acquire the land and deposit compensation for project-affected persons (PAPs) in court.
Just four days later, Justice Byaruhanga ruled that compensation of USh950 million be deposited in court for processing once TotalEnergies E&P took over the land.
The 42 landowners rejected the compensation rates offered by the government for relocation.
Mwesige emphasised concerns regarding the process, stating, “Communities are displaced without proper compensation or fair trial. Our concerns include inadequate compensation rates, unresolved land disputes, and denial of justice. The swift court ruling without adequate hearing raises serious concerns about procedural fairness.”
The landowners expressed fears that the government’s actions prioritised oil company interests over citizens’ rights.
They demanded a halt to eviction and compensation processes until an independent expert conducted a thorough review of the court ruling.
The protesting Hoima oil landowners called on the government to ensure fair and adequate compensation based on independent valuation and in consultation with the community.
They also sought the resolution of outstanding land disputes and proper legal processes, including opportunities for affected individuals to present their cases and evidence.
Kato Tumusiime, the lawyer representing the landowners, questioned how the evaluation was conducted and how the final rates were determined.
He explained that the forced acquisition of land from the PAPs may violate Article 26 of the 1995 constitution, which requires prompt payment of fair and adequate compensation for compulsory property acquisition.
Another landowner, Fred Balikenda, stated that his land was fenced off by TotalEnergies in 2022 before a compensation agreement was reached, although the oil company did build him a replacement house.
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