KAMPALA- The Police in Kampala have arrested at least fifteen university students for taking part in the Anti-EACOP protests near Parliament.
The suspects mostly from Kyambogo, Makerere Kampala International Universities and other Universities, uniting under the Justice Movement of Uganda, a youth group composed of university students advocating for climate justice, were arrested gathering at parliamentary avenue today.
These were carrying placards and wearing t-shirts with protest messages, and were reportedly marching to Parliament to submit a petition calling for the immediate halt of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project’s construction in western Ugandan, which they say will cause devastating environmental impact in the country.
But the Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Patrick Onyango, said the suspects were surrounded, before marching to parliament after receiving intelligence about their planned “violent protest intentions”.
Police said that some of them took off, but fifteen were apprehended on charges of inciting violence and acts of common nuisance. Onyango has called on the public to follow the normal channels of holding peaceful demonstrations.
Some of the Protesters called upon 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.
Ibrahim Mpima, a protester who evaded arrest, revealed to this reporter that their demonstration aimed to petition Parliament to reassess the AECOP construction project, citing significant environmental concerns.
He stated, “We’re marching to Parliament to present our petition, seeking their attention as young people, not politicians. We have witnessed firsthand the environmental destruction caused by this project, and we urge lawmakers to consider our concerns especially on Displacement that is going to happen in addition to unfair compensation and then the compromised Health and Environmental risks around. Mpiima noted”
Mpima revealed that the students, representing various universities, mobilized after heeding warnings from experts and international agencies about the project’s severe environmental consequences, which the government has disregarded.
//Cue in; “global warming …
Some of the suspects currently detained at Central Police Station include Shafik Karyango, Humphrey Oudo, Pele Nicholas, Wafula Simon, Martin, Akram and Shadia. By the time of filing this story, POlice said they are still taking statements from others and they are likely to appear in Buganda court on Tuesday.
Several students and other groups of activities including foreign nationals have been arrested outside the Chinese embassy petitions and UN Offices during the Anti-AECOP protests urging the embassies and United Nationals to withdraw support for the EACOP project.
