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Intricacies of the Politics of Oil on the Local Community in Bunyoro Region in Uganda

Intricacies of the Politics of Oil on the Local Community in Bunyoro Region in Uganda. Winfred Aliguma M.A. Student, Local Governance and Planning, MUST. Presentation Lay Out. Introduction / Problem Analysis Research Questions Methodology Preliminary Findings

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Intricacies of the Politics of Oil on the Local Community in Bunyoro Region in Uganda

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  1. Intricacies of the Politics of Oil on the Local Community in Bunyoro Region in Uganda Winfred Aliguma M.A. Student, Local Governance and Planning, MUST

  2. Presentation Lay Out • Introduction / Problem Analysis • Research Questions • Methodology • Preliminary Findings • Conclusion and Emerging issues of interest

  3. Intricacies of the Politics of OilinBunyoro Region • This presentation is part of an on-going M.A. research and highlights the preliminary findings. • The paper examines the intricacies of the politics of oil in the interrelationships between different stakeholders and interest groups over the Bunyoro land and the resulting conflicts triggered by oil discovery. • Oil activities have both positive and negative effects on human rights, the environment and economic development

  4. Introduction /Problem Analysis • Bunyoro region lies in the mid-western region of Uganda. It covers districts of Hoima, Masindi, Kibaale, Buliisa and Kiryandongo. • Sawyer and Gomez (2008) emphasize that there is considerable empirical evidence that indigenous communities rarely benefit equitably when major extractive activities occur on their customary land and this impacts negatively on the livelihoods and cultures of these indigenous communities.

  5. Problem Analysis continued • The central concern of this study is the complex interwooven land issues among the indigenous communities, oil companies and the government of Uganda, an issue that has attracted local and international attention. • The study examines the effects of oil activities on the livelihoods of the local communities who have lost their land resource as their major source of food and income.

  6. Research Questions • What conflicts have been triggered by the advent of oil exploration in Bunyoro region? • Who are the actors and what are their roles in the displacement process? • What is the state of livelihoods for the local communities in the oil rich region? • What are the institutional responses towards the contestations over land triggered by oil exploration?

  7. Methodology • Qualitative Research Design was used with a Case Study approach. The case study approach focused on pragmatic knowledge of the Bunyoro region closely related to social and political influences. • Given that the study investigated social, political and economic issues relating to land skimming, acquisition and grabbing in the Bunyoro region, a case study approach was appropriate in understanding these different cases as units of analysis. • Data for this paper was obtained through a multiplicity of methodologies including key informant interviews, focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, observation among others.

  8. Preliminary Findings Conflicts brought by the advent of oil exploration in Bunyoro region • Land Conflicts e.g. in Buliisa District between the Bagungu and Balaalo. • Conflicts due to change of traditional lifestyles from communal ownership to individual e.g. fencing of land in Kyangwali, Tonya and Kasemene. • Conflicts between Local government and the local communities caused by alleged intimidation and misinformation • Resource conflicts as people who are loosing their land to oil activities have resorted to cutting down trees to burn charcoal to earn a living

  9. Findings Continued Actors and their roles in the land contestations in the oil region • Central Government through its bodies: Ministry of Energy and Minerals Development, Local government, Min. of Water and Environment, Uganda Revenue Authority, Uganda Wildlife Authority, National Planning Authority etc. • The Oil companies i.e. Tullow Oil, Total, CNOOC These made an agreement with government known as Production Sharing Agreement. • The local Community, Land owners, NEEMA, NGOs, etc.

  10. Findings continued State of livelihoods for the local communities in the oil region • The state of livelihoods is poor. 90% of the respondents indicated that they are living in fear as they are not sure of the future. They do not know when they will be compensated and by how much. • Local communities were stopped from growing crops that take more than 3 months to mature from which they were getting some income. – Indicator of food insecurity and resultant effects like crime etc • 95% are peasants, they depend on only land.

  11. Findings Continued Institutional responses towards the contestations over land triggered by oil • NGOs, CSOs and CBOs have come up to sensitise people about their rights and how to protect the environment. Examples of NGOs include AFIEGO, KHEDA, NAPE, JGI. CSOs include BIRUDO, NAVODA etc. CBOs include Kwatanisa Women Farmers Group in Buseruka, Community groups in Kaiso, Grafani in Butimba, and Lacwalo in Buliisa. • Government of Uganda through Local Government have organised seminars to sensitise people about land and oil issues. • Oil companies like Tullow have community liaison committee that sensitise people on land and environment.

  12. Challenges • In a nutshell, there are a number of challenges being faced by the local community. Women respondents for example indicated being in a tight corner to put food on the table, others have challenges of being landless and inter & intra ethnic clashes as seen between Bagungu and Balaalo. • Local Government and local communities, LG and NGOs pointing an accusing finger on each other due to the survey evaluation reports that included persons not known in the affected villages and allocated less to others.

  13. Conclusion • There is need to seek for bottom up solutions rather than top – down which calls for local community participation and involvement in government programs, this way transparency will be felt. • Lack of sensitisation of the local communities before hand made people to feel marginalised and less important. Quote 1: “I was not informed at first. I saw aeroplanes passing over our land several times and later I heard an announcement on radio that the aeroplanes were drawing a map of our land demarcated by government for an oil refinery”. Quote 2: “I just saw delegates from the ministry of Energy and Minerals telling us that these pieces of our land have been reserved by government for putting up an oil refinery”.

  14. Emerging Issues of Interest • Government should put in place mechanisms of availing information regarding compensation to the local communities. • Issues of land grabbing should be handled with care so that fair judgement is served. • Local communities need to be sensitised on the importance of education. • Intimidation of the local communities should be stopped otherwise, it will aggravate the land conflicts further. • Government, NGO, CSO, CBOs should work hand in hand as partners in development

  15. Appreciation My sincere appreciation to my Research Supervisor, Dr. Charles Muchunguzi and the Leader of the Land Governance Team, Assoc. Prof. Pamela Mbabazi for your selfless guidance and support. Thank you

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