"Lawyers seek to halt oil pipeline project over failure to consider local Uganda firms for contracts"

A Kampala lawyer is seeking to stop the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project, citing violation of arrangements that provide for Ugandans to be involved in the procurement process.

In a suit filed before the High Court in Kampala, Mr. Andrew Oluka, through his attorneys Messers Muwema & Company Advocates, seeks to halt the project in “public interest” to cause a legal audit of the procurement processes and “make sure that local Ugandan companies and service providers are involved in the project as provided in the Constitution under provision of national content”.

The Uganda Petroleum Authority, is listed as defendant number one alongside oil giants Total E&P Uganda and CNOOC Uganda Ltd... In the suit, the oil giants Total E&P Uganda and CNOOC Uganda Ltd are accused of contravening the laws that provide for national content in the petroleum sector.