Bobi Wine, Uganda’s leading opposition figure, has said he would review the country’s oil agreements with international energy companies if elected president, pledging to revise any contracts he believes do not benefit Ugandans.
Speaking to Reuters in Kampala ahead of Uganda’s presidential election next week, Wine said all existing oil agreements would be examined once in office.
“We shall study all agreements,” he said. “And any part in those agreements that does not favour Ugandans will definitely be revised.”
Uganda is preparing to begin commercial oil production later this year, with fields operated by TotalEnergies, CNOOC, and the Uganda National Oil Company expected to come online. TotalEnergies and CNOOC operate under production-sharing agreements with the Ugandan government.
Neither the companies nor Uganda’s information ministry immediately responded to requests for comment.
Bobi Wine Says Uganda’s Oil Agreements Will Be Reviewed If He Wins Election
Uganda’s oil reserves are estimated at around 6.65 billion barrels. Although oil was discovered more than 20 years ago, production has faced repeated delays, driven by negotiations over contracts, infrastructure challenges, and opposition from environmental groups.
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Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, is contesting the presidency for the second time against long-serving leader Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled the country for four decades. In the 2021 election, Wine secured about 35% of the vote.
During the interview, Wine also criticised Uganda’s Western allies, accusing them of hypocrisy for continuing to support Museveni’s government despite allegations of human rights abuses.
“These Western countries have laws they can invoke to sanction human rights violations,” Wine said. “Unfortunately, they have not. It comes off as if diplomacy is more important than democracy, and business more important than human rights.”
Wine said he had been beaten twice by security forces during the current campaign and blocked from campaigning in some areas. He also claimed that hundreds of his supporters had been detained, a figure echoed by the United Nations.
The Ugandan government has denied wrongdoing, saying all arrests were based on legitimate criminal charges.
As Uganda prepares to enter the oil-producing phase of its development, the future of its energy agreements and the balance between investment, governance, and public benefit remain central issues in the country’s political debate.
