NEWS- At least 30 people including foreign nationals have been apprehended near the Chinese Embassy in Kampala for staging a protest against the construction of the East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline-EACOP project near.
According to Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police Spokesperson Luke owoyesigyire, the suspects have been charged with unlawful assembly and are currently detained at Jinja Road Police Station.
Among those arrested, 9 are female and 21 are male, those who marched to the Chinese embassy located in Kololo, were holding placards with messages reading “no to oil, before they engaged in the running battles with police.
Some of the Protesters called up the government and all stakeholders involved in the controversial project, to stop it. They claim the oil venture will escalate environmental devastation and human rights violations in Uganda.
“We’re going to the Chinese Embassy to give them our petition, stating clearly that we as Ugandans don’t want the EACOP project to continue. We say no to EACOP in Uganda.” Protestors were heard saying.
Owoyesigyire says that the further details will be provided as soon as they are available and urged the public to remain calm and to follow legal procedures for any form of protest or assembly.
Further protests against the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), are possible nationwide with Foreign embassies and international representations, such as the EU building in Kampala, are likely the gathering locations.
