Uganda: President Museveni Reveals Why Uganda Opted Tanzania for Oil Pipeline Deal

PPU/Daily Monitor

Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, right, gestures during a meeting with Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan that preceded the signing of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) Tripartite Project Agreement at State House Entebbe on April 11, 2021.

Uganda decided to strike the East African Crude Pipeline (EACOP) deal with Tanzania after

considering the unique historical role that was played by East African country which led to liberation of Uganda by defeating Iddi Amin.

Addressing various officials on Sunday shortly after signing Tanzania, Uganda and global oil company, French Total E&P and the China's Cnooc in Entebbe in Uganda, PresidentYoweri Museveni said that Tanzanians showed their sincere brotherhood by sacrificing themselves when Kampala was assaulted as well as fight against Iddi Amin rule.

Elaborating this, President Museveni said the late Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere assisted Ugandans when they were crucial need of support from their neigbours especially in late 1970s.

Additionally, President Museveni, said Tanzania People's Defence Force (TPDF) played an important role in removing Iddi Amin from the power.

".....Tanzania route was not in the picture, we were still debating about Mombasa and Lamu of Kenya. "The historical role of Tanzania in the liberation of Uganda in both 1978/1979 and 1985/86. On this two occasion Mwalimu Nyerere played a very important role. In the 1978/79 in the war , TPDF played a major role in removing Idd Amin from power, " said President Museveni.

President Museveni said he is more pleased with the fact that the Project will highly contribute to the development of Tanzania while saying that Tanzania's contribution in Uganda cannot be compensated.

"I am more satisfied that the project will make a modest contribution to the development of Tanzania. It cannot compensated for the huge sacrifice Tanzania made for the defeat of Iddi Amin and the liberation of whole of Southern Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia and South Africa. It is just a modest contribution," he added.