Last month, the Minister of Energy informed the public through a news briefing that on May 8, 2019, Uganda’s Ministry of Energy will launch the second competitive licencing round for oil blocks. The launch will take place in Kenya.

Some of the oil blocks that are set to be put up for licencing on Wednesday (May 8, 2019) include those left over from the first competitive licencing round.

Ngaji oil block, which covers Lake Edward and parts of Queen Elizabeth National Park, was one of the blocks that was not licenced due to community, CSO and international pressure.

In the attached petition, CSOs in addition to members of Kasese youth and women clean energy clubs are demanding that the Minister of Energy does not put up Ngaji oil block for licencing next week.

The CSOs in addition to the youth and women clean energy clubs say that government must walk the talk of promoting environmental conservation and addressing climate change.

Uganda is signatory to the Paris Climate Change Agreement.

In addition, one of the key resolutions that came out of the NRM CEC meeting at Chobe Safari Lodge in Nwoya district in February 2019 was a commitment to conserve the environment to “roll back climate change” among others.