I hope that you are enjoying the extended holiday weekend. I have received some questions about Uganda and the people here, and more specifically the work I’m doing that I am happy to answer (as best I can).
What types of stories are making news--local, national, or international?
One thing I have noticed since my arrival here in Uganda is that everyone still reads the newspaper. There are several dailies in English and at least one in Lugandan, the language most commonly spoken in Kampala and the surrounding areas. I have gotten into the habit of reading the papers as well, for general understanding of what’s going on as well as to keep an eye out for stories on oil and gas.
The World Cup has dominated the sports pages (and sometimes the covers too). People gather in bars and at home to watch the games and it is very much a topic of conversation. At least among those I talk too, there doesn’t seem to be allegiance to any particular team—they cheer on the African nations and even the US (while these teams still had a chance!). At least here, the excitement is in the event itself as opposed whatever team ends up winning.
The other stories run the gamut. The national budget was released soon after I arrived and was read aloud on television. Many Ugandans tune in for this and pay particular attention. National elections are under way next year, and though the outcome of the key race is likely already decided, there is much talk of the election process and races for Parliamentary seats. In Africa in general, the run-up to major elections is often a tense time. A local story that dominated headlines for some time was regarding the kidnapping of a one year old baby, who was held for ransom and eventually killed. The killers have been captured, but the entire terrible affair has played out in the news.
How are the Ugandan people, government and media reacting to the crisis caused by BP and the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico?
Stories of the spill in the Gulf of Mexico are relegated to the international section of the newspaper. Most Ugandans are aware of what has happened, but like most events that take place on the other side of the globe, it hasn’t garnered more than passing interest. I don’t believe a connection has been made between that incident and the potential of a related incident occurring here. The majority of Ugandans are unaware of the terminology and technicalities of oil drilling (as most Americans were before the spill) because the oil industry is in such an early stage of development.
Part of the challenge of LINKAGES work is raising awareness of the issue as something that affects all Ugandans, not just those sitting on land with oil under it. The laws vary by state in the US, but in general, whoever owns the land owns the oil. In Uganda, oil and other mineral resources under the surface belong to the government. Landowners are entitled to compensation for their land, but not what lies underneath it. State ownership is a cleaner way of dealing with the issue as underground formations do not cleave to surface boundaries.
The individuals who are most vocal and involved are those who have gotten attractive (and occasionally out of the blue) offers to buy their land and those who have seen the build-up of activity as exploration efforts have increased. To avoid the ethnic conflict that can come with such wealth, it is important that all Ugandans share ownership and gain benefit from their country’s resources. However, it is also important that the affected areas receive increased attention and funding to deal with the local environmental and cultural impacts that extraction will create.
Are Ugandans concerned about environmental issues related to oil exploration and production? Are there multinational companies working with them on "mining" oil and gas resources?
Environmental issues are a top concern among those who have taken up the issue of oil and gas—local, national and international organizations are involved. As I mentioned in my last post, the oil lies underneath ecologically diverse areas that are already endangered. Much of Uganda’s tourism revenue comes from these areas. Attention is being paid to potential environmental impact and liability assigned to cover what damage occurs.
There are multinational companies holding licenses for the exploration and eventual production process. Initial estimates of oil deposits were quite small and so many of the big companies did not bother. London-based Tullow Oil has been the most publicly involved, though there are multiple other African, Canadian, Middle-Eastern and Chinese companies involved as well. There are large multinationals—including Halliburton—acting as subcontractors, though they operate far from the public eye.
Next post will be devoted to something other than oil and gas!!
