By Johnson Kanyesige
Residents in the oil-rich Bunyoro sub-region have been cautioned against tampering with government oil and gas installations, with officials warning that vandalism could derail Uganda’s march toward first oil production in 2026.
The region currently hosts several critical projects, including the 1,443-kilometre East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), central processing facilities for Tilenga and Kingfisher oil fields, oil drilling rigs, Kabaleega International Airport, and the Kabaale Industrial Park.
Professor Augustus Nuwagaba, Deputy Governor of the Bank of Uganda, urged communities to take responsibility for protecting these investments, saying their safety is central to the country’s economic transformation. “We ask Bunyoro residents to jealously guard oil installations and work with the government to safeguard projects that are driving national progress,” he said.
Nuwagaba stressed that vandalism or theft of equipment undermines the oil sector’s growth and warned that disruptions could delay commercial production. The warning comes after police in the Albertine region launched investigations in August into widespread theft of construction materials from EACOP sites in Hoima and Buliisa districts.
Several suspects were arrested, including two Chinese nationals, Qiao Tian Peng and Zhang Dong Geng, who allegedly connived with locals to steal drums, aluminium cable wires, and fuel valued at Shs114 million. Their arrests followed a whistleblower’s tip-off to EACOP authorities and security teams. They were later arraigned in court and remanded, while more cases remain under investigation.
Albertine Region Police Spokesperson Julius Hakiza confirmed that the first case file was registered at Kabaale Police Station on August 12, 2025, under CRB 468/2025, before being transferred to Hoima District Rural Central Police Station. With Uganda targeting oil production by 2026, authorities maintain that safeguarding infrastructure is crucial to ensuring the country benefits fully from its petroleum resources.
