Ugandan Farmers Sue in UK Court to Halt Nearly Completed East Africa Oil Pipeline

A group of Ugandan farmers filed a lawsuit on July 7, 2026, in the UK High Court against EACOP Ltd to block the East African Crude Oil Pipeline. The plaintiffs, represented by law firm Leigh Day, seek an injunction preventing oil transport through the line, along with compensation and other relief under Ugandan law.

The 1,443-kilometer pipeline runs from Uganda’s Albertine Graben to Tanzania’s Tanga port and is valued at $5 billion.

EACOP Ltd, registered in the UK and majority-owned by TotalEnergies, leads development of the project, which is nearly complete. Construction could finish as soon as July 2026, with first shipments expected in late 2026 or early 2027. The pipeline is designed to carry 216,000 barrels of crude oil per day, with capacity to ramp up to 246,000 barrels.

Oil would come from the Tilenga and Kingfisher fields in Uganda’s Albertine Rift Basin, developed by TotalEnergies and China’s CNOOC, where production is expected to peak near 200,000 barrels per day. The filing occurred before the pipeline becomes operational.

com reported that the project would affect more than 100,000 people through land acquisition and would cross freshwater sources and protected habitats, according to Reuters.

The plaintiffs contend the pipeline, associated oil production, and route would harm water resources, wildlife, and biodiversity in the area.