TANZANIA: WHEN one reads a boilerplate relating to the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) Limited, one appreciates that the EACOP is a special purpose company owning a 1,443-kilometre crude oil export infrastructure that will transport Uganda’s crude oil from Hoima District, in Uganda to Tanga in Tanzania.
At Chongoleani Peninsular in Tanga, a marine export terminal will be built to allow crude oil from Uganda to reach international markets.
EACOP is a giant economic project that seeks to benefit Tanzania and Uganda by creating direct and indirect jobs, increasing public revenue, introducing valuable infrastructure, technology transfer and enabling people to benefit from the ‘local content’ push.
The local content philosophy calls for training local people, using local contractors as much as possible in the construction process and supply of items.
Yet EACOP has received unduly severe criticism from local and international observers. Some criticisms are simply malicious.
In a malicious analysis, the world is told that EACOP is implementing a project that undermines the broad interests of the people along the pipeline way — the project affected persons (PAPs) — in the two countries. It is said that in implementing the project, EACOP does not care about the wildlife and biodiversity; ignores PAPs; and that it disregards ‘indigenous peoples’ interests.
This malicious criticism does not only damage the image of EACOP in the eyes of people but it also gravely damages the broad interests of Tanzanians and Ugandans.
Admittedly, as Mr. Lekao said, no institution is above criticism. But the criticism should not have ill-motive and it should not be made from an uninformed position.
Contrary to the negative portrayal being traded by some critics, as far as EACOP is concerned, the implementation of the project has fully taken into the consideration the interest of all its people- Ugandans and Tanzanians.
In Tanzania, the EACOP seems to have proved that it is a unique project that neither disregards PAPs, nor ignores indigenous peoples. It is a project that cares about wildlife and biodiversity. It values environment as well.
To many informed Tanzanians, EACOP is an exceptional project in a sense that it complies with the United Nations (UN) Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, as well as the fundamental agreements of the International Labour Organisation.
On the aspect of environment, EACOP has undertaken surveys to identify critical and natural habitats. The survey report answers many worrisome questions of that critics raised.
The pipeline starts in Uganda. The endorsed survey findings show that the pipeline path is outside the common-shared Lake Victoria.
The pipeline route does not run under Lake Victoria water or crosses any sites categorised by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, nor the pipeline cross any densely populated area or any game reserve or any national park.
Some eight per cent of the pipeline length traverses across the designated areas, covering a total area of 3.5 square kilometres. The majority of these crossings are along the boundaries where farming and other human activities are being carried out.
In areas of critical habitat, the project has a clear commitment to use offsets to achieve a net-gain. This is the official position accepted by all stakeholders and endorsed by the two governments of Uganda and Tanzania.
How EACOP works with indigenous people
In Tanzania EACOP meets representative of indigenous people four times annually. The most recent meeting held in Arusha City was on September 19, 2024. This was a three-day meeting. Two days were devoted to closed-door consultations between indigenous leaders and EACOP officials. The last day was an open session.
According to EACOP officials, during the meeting in Arusha, representatives of indigenous people were updated on the project’s progress and addressed concerns of people, if there were any.
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Prominent ethnic groups that were represented in Arusha, include the Wataturu, Wamasai, Wakiha and Wabarbaig. They represented 29 villages across nine councils and seven districts, namely Handeni, Kilindi, Simanjiro, Kiteto, Kondoa, Hanang and Igunga.
The representative of Maasai community in Kiteto District, Mr. Samwel Lekao, told the open meeting that EACOP adheres to international laws and guidelines that protect the rights of indigenous peoples, more so when their heritage, resources and cultures are touched in one way or another.
Mr Lekao wondered why EACOP was being criticised by some observers; often unjustly.
“This project has established a routine of bringing together leaders from marginalized communities every four months. Delegates are updated on EACOP project progress and they address our challenges,” Mr Lekao was quoted as saying.
He said EACOP has not only compensated the affected individuals but has also prioritised job opportunities, particularly jobs for those with intermediate and basic skills, enabling local people to contribute to the national economy.
Mr James Gejaru, a leader of the Barbaig community, said their community was grateful to EACOP for respecting their culture. He said their community appreciated EACOP’s decision to alter the pipeline route to avoid passing through the burial site, as the area was of very significant cultural importance to them.
“The involvement of traditional leaders in this project demonstrates EACOP’s respect for our rights and cultural heritage,” Mr Gejaru told the meeting.
Comparing EACOP’s approach in handling community issues with other projects, he said some projects in other areas were being planned and executed without considering the communities’ welfare, traditions and customs. He said even the compensation was being effected without considering some important aspects of the communities.
Mr Kishaida Shingalila, the Chairman of the Tatoga community praised EACOP for what he described as its inclusive practice. He said the EACOP keeps communities informed of how the project will impact the lives of communities and the overall benefits Tanzania stands to gain from the pipeline project.
He said traditional leaders who attend quarterly meeting acquire enough knowledge that helps them to educate pastoralist communities on what is going on in implementing the EACOP project, including the available jobs and training opportunities. He said the meeting exposed deluges of training programmes at Arusha Technical College (ATC) and Vocational Education Training Authority (VETA) in Moshi.
The EACOP pipeline traverses eight Mainland regions, namely Kagera, Geita, Shinyanga, Tabora, Singida, Dodoma, Manyara, and Tanga, covering 24 districts, 134 wards and some 180 villages.