East African Court Declines Oil Pipeline Lawsuit

The East African Court of Justice has rejected a challenge to the multi-billion-dollar oil pipeline in Tanzania and Uganda. The court said it does not have jurisdiction to hear the case. The petition was brought by environmentalists who say the project will harm the ecosystems in areas rich in biodiversity as well as the livelihoods of local people. The pipeline is part of a $10 billion project led by French energy giant Total Energy to develop Uganda oilfields and ship the crude to Tanzania for export. Frank Tumusiime, a Senior Researcher at Advocates for Natural and Development in Uganda, tells VOA’s James Butty, that while the plaintiffs have a good case, they didn’t have enough time to prepare.