What economic promise would the discovery of oil offer Karamoja?

 By Phillo Aryatwijuka

The recent launch of oil exploration activities in the Moroto-Kadam basin by the government has raised expectations on the possible discovery of oil in Karamoja region, a region that has been looming in conflict and poverty for many decades.

For Karamoja oil exploration activities are coming at a time when the key legal framework is in place particularly the oil and gas policy 2008, the petroleum exploration, development and production act 2013 and the Public Finance and Management Act.   

Impressive to note was that the government kick started with some of the best practices in the extractives sector; the massive sensitization of communities in the Moroto-Kadam basin on the planned activities which is in line with Objective 7 of the National Oil and Gas Policy that recommends ensuring optimum national participation in oil and gas activities

The recent news report on the launch of oil exploration activities quotes the energy state minister Peter Lokeris saying “that once oil is discovered in this area we shall be the envy of other areas. We shall have investments and services here”

The reality in achieving this is far from easy taking lessons from some of the challenges encountered in the exploration activities from Uganda’s Albertine region. Is the Albertine region envy to other regions in Uganda since oil discovery? In my opinion it’s not! The challenges brought about oil discovery in the Albertine now range from inadequate and unfair compensation, non-resettlement claims ,  land grabbing, abuse of human rights among others

How then can government use lessons learnt from the Albertine to deliver the economic promises that the possible discovery of oil could bring for a region? A region with a population of just 1.2M people and 74.2 percent of this population living below the poverty line!  

Ultimately the issue of respect of land rights of Karamojong communities should be put at the forefront during exploration. Land for Karamojong communities and everywhere in Uganda is a main source of capital and livelihood. For the Karamoja a large portion of land is entrusted in communal land holding. Considering the large based land acquisitions oil exploration activities require community consultations, permissions and fair and adequate compensation should be taken as critical issues throughout the whole process. Karamoja has overtime experienced the abuse of land rights in the extractives sector particularly in large scale land acquisitions by mining companies and this vulnerability could be worsened by the proposed amendment of article 26 of the constitution.

On the other hand the exploration area of Kadam-Moroto basin stretches within a fragile ecosystem where we have the Pian-Upe game reserve home to wildlife and unique flora and fauna. In appreciation of this oil exploration activities should be cognizant with the protection of wildlife.

Moving forward Uganda has already treaded the road of oil discovery in the Albertine region that has been marred by abuse of human rights and Ugandans particularly the Karamojong communities expect better this time.