By Spy Uganda
Kampala: President Museveni has again blasted the European Union parliament over its recent resolution to halt the East African Crude Oil Pipeline Project (EACOP).
The son of Kaguta who had no kind words for the movers of the resolution to halt Uganda’s first oil project described them as insufferable and need to control themselves from exploding over issues that don’t concern them.
“I spent 12 years studying English and one of the words I picked up in those years is insufferable. Some of these people(EU MPs) are insufferable. You(EU MPs) need to control yourself not to explode.(They are) so shallow, so egocentric and so wrong that they think they know everything broadcasting their ignorance all over the place but they should calm down. This is a wrong battleground for them,” Museveni said while speaking during the Annual Uganda International Oil and Gas Summit at Serena Hotel Kampala on Tuesday.
Adding that “we don’t take kindly to arrogance and that’s why we spent so many years sorting out issues with arrogant people. The plan will be implemented according to schedule. I hope our partners join us firmly and advise them. When you go to the European Union parliament these are just young girls. A young girl is lecturing me on what to do in Uganda! I think somebody should counsel those young people.
EU parliament recently raised concerns over “human rights violations” in Uganda and Tanzania linked to investments in the 1,445-kilometer-long pipeline that draws crude oil from wells in western Uganda in Hoima district to Tanzania’s seaport of Tanga.
“There are human rights violations including wrongful imprisonment of human rights defenders, the arbitrary suspension of NGOs, arbitrary prison sentences and the eviction of hundreds of people from their land without fair and adequate compensation,” the EU parliament said, arguing that more than 100,000 people risk being displaced.
The EU lawmakers consequently asked TotalEnergies to take a year before launching the project to study the feasibility of an alternative route.
Both Uganda and Tanzanian governments have since defied the resolution but also blasted the EU lawmakers over the same.
However, Museveni trashed their resolution saying the European Union parliament cannot decide what is right for the East African countries.
“The EU parliament has got much work to do in their own place and I would advise them to spend much time helping some of our people there. East Africa has got capable people who know what to do,” he said.
Museveni explained that whereas reducing carbon emissions to the atmosphere is the ideal thing, Europe accounts for the biggest percentage of emissions and should therefore take the first step in correcting the wrongs, before Africa follows.
“It seems the percentage of carbon dioxide is increasing because of too much emissions and it is causing a lot of problems. It is good to think about the environment but the one who has messed up most should be the first one clean The one who has done most damage should start. We are also coming but you start. I don’t think our additional contribution to emission is so big.”
Museveni said that countries cannot completely do away with oil because it produces carbon which is useful to life.
