For years, they were ignored.
Farmers saw their land taken without permission. Families were forced from their homes before compensation ever arrived. Children had to leave school. Entire communities were left in limbo—confused, silenced, and sidelined in the name of so-called “development.”
But in June 2025, everything began to shift.
Twenty-six Ugandans—from small villages across the Albertine and Greater Masaka regions—secured official legal representation in a landmark lawsuit against one of the globe’s most powerful oil companies: TotalEnergies.
Their message is clear and unwavering: We’re not just victims. We’re plaintiffs. We’re standing up and fighting back.
The Real Cost of “Progress”
Since its launch, the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) has been wrapped in talk of opportunity and growth. TotalEnergies, with its polished branding and corporate spin, promised jobs, infrastructure, and economic uplift.
But the reality on the ground tells a different story.
People have lost ancestral lands. When compensation is offered, it’s either shamefully low, tied up in red tape, or delayed for years. Families are struggling. Wetlands are drying up. Sacred places are being destroyed. And those who speak out? They face intimidation, surveillance, even violence.
TotalEnergies calls this a pipeline. For many Ugandans, it’s a slow-moving disaster that destroys not only land, but lives.
Taking Back the Narrative
Until recently, the case against TotalEnergies in France was led by civil society groups like Friends of the Earth France and Survie. While their efforts brought international attention under France’s Duty of Vigilance Law, the people most affected—the ones on the frontlines—were barely heard in courtrooms thousands of miles away.
Now, that’s changing.
Thanks to support from the Tasha Research Institute Africa’s Plaintiff’s Project, these 26 Ugandans—known officially as Project Affected Persons (PAPs)—have secured dedicated legal counsel for this case.
Panelists conducting the interviews for the legal representative position
“This is no longer symbolic,” says Ntumwa Rodgers, Executive Director of Tasha. “The people who were silenced are now in the legal arena. They’re calling out the violators. They’re demanding justice.”
Environmental and human rights lawyers in Paris are already working with local teams in Uganda to build a solid case—collecting video testimonies, photographs of damaged homes, and sworn statements from witnesses. For the first time, Ugandans’ lived experiences are no longer filtered through press releases. They are entering the courtroom as evidence.
Panelists interviewing some of the candidates for the legal representative position
Challenging the Goliath
This is not a fair fight.
On one side stands a multibillion-dollar fossil fuel giant, protected by government deals, military force, and global industry power. On the other are rural families—many without access to clean water or basic healthcare—who simply want to reclaim their rights.
But this new legal breakthrough changes the equation.
“TotalEnergies has hidden behind silence and bureaucracy,” says Isabella N., Legal and Advocacy Officer at Tasha. “But now, with these plaintiffs, they’re facing something they can’t spin—truth, resistance, and the collective voice of those they tried to erase.”
Each plaintiff has a story. One is an elderly widow from Buliisa whose home was flattened without warning. Another is a father from Kyotera whose son was beaten for joining a peaceful protest. These people are no longer faceless statistics. They now have a legal platform to speak their truth.
What’s ahead
The journey won’t be easy. French court proceedings will be slow. Corporate lawyers will try to discredit, delay, and derail the case.
But the groundwork has been laid.
Tasha Research Institute Africa will continue supporting the plaintiffs—coordinating logistics, preparing legal briefings, and monitoring their safety. More plaintiffs are being identified. More evidence is coming in. And more eyes are turning toward this unfolding fight for justice.
