Defenders pushing for an economic free economy arrested at parliament.

KAMPALA, Uganda

Several environmental defenders together with young activists belonging to Rooted in resistance have been arrested today on Monday 31st August during a peaceful march towards Parliament and Total Energies headquarters in an attempt to deliver petitions calling for a rethink of Uganda’s oil development strategy.

The arrests came as the youth campaign intensified its call for an oil-free, people-centred and economically independent Uganda, challenging the government’s continued investment in petroleum extraction and infrastructure.

The activists were arrested while attempting to deliver petitions in a march towards Parliament and Pearl Tower One (Total energies Uganda head offices). This arrest follows other sequential protests by the same movement (Rooted in resistance) that have included arrests by police, the most recent happened on 10th August where four of the movements members were arrested while attempting to deliver a petition to Parliament. Police have not yet provided details about the latest arrests. 

Several petitions have been submitted to Parliament and TotalEnergies Uganda, calling for a fundamental reconsideration of the country’s petroleum development model. The activists argue that oil, as a finite and capital-intensive resource, should not become the centre of Uganda’s economic future or be relied on to create opportunities for its rapidly growing population. Instead, they are calling for greater investment in agriculture, manufacturing, renewable energy, tourism, technology, education, innovation and locally owned enterprises. Citing Article 38 of the Constitution, they say citizens should have a meaningful role in shaping the country’s development path, arguing that Uganda’s success should be measured not by how much oil it extracts, but by the jobs, industries, businesses, dignity and economic freedom it creates for its people.

Rooted in Resistance is calling on TotalEnergies Uganda to reconsider its involvement in the Tilenga oil project, citing concerns over its potential impact on the environmentally and economically sensitive Albertine region, including communities, wildlife, forests, water systems and tourism. The group argues that continued investment in oil risks deepening Uganda’s dependence on a finite resource and diverting attention and capital from more sustainable opportunities, urging investment instead in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, agro-processing, manufacturing, tourism, conservation, technology, skills development and youth enterprise. Through its petition, the campaign calls on Parliament and TotalEnergies to “listen, engage and reconsider” Uganda’s current petroleum expansion strategy, advocating for an oil-free economy, economic freedom, environmental protection and development that prioritises Ugandans and future generations over oil.

Monday’s arrests have reignited debate over the treatment of youth-led activism in Uganda, adding to a growing history of demonstrations around Parliament. The latest arrests therefore place Rooted in Resistance’s campaign within a broader pattern of young Ugandans using protests and petitions to challenge government policies, demand accountability and advocate for alternative development priorities. For the activists, however, the campaign is about beyond opposition the EastAfrican crude oil pipeline, their agenda is more of a call to reconsider Uganda’s wider development path and the country’s growing dependence on fossil fuels.