Tuesday, June 18th, 2019

Handbook on citizens’ rights in ESIA processes -AFIEGO

As we prepare to participate in the public hearings on the Kingfisher oil project’s Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) next week on June 19 and 21 in Kikuube and Hoima districts respectively, we ask you to receive the attached handbook.

The easy-to-read book discusses citizens’ rights under ESIA processes and public hearings.

The rights are provided for under the 1995 Uganda Constitution, 2019 National Environment Act, the 1998 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) regulations and 1999 EIA Public Hearing Guidelines.

The handbook also discusses the gaps in Uganda’s environmental legal framework.

For instance, Uganda is still relying on the 1998 EIA regulations and 1999 EIA Public Hearing Guidelines to guide ESIA processes and public hearings.

The 2019 National Environment Act provides for the conduct of ESIA, and not EIA.

There is therefore lack of harmony between the 2019 National Environment Act, which provides for ESIA, and the EIA regulations and guidelines that are currently being relied on.

Citizens must therefore call on NEMA to complete and operationalise the ESIA regulations and to review the 1999 EIA Public Hearing Guidelines.

This will ensure that there are no contradictions with the 2019 National Environment Act.

Kindly read more in the handbook which we hope you will use to ensure citizens’ participation.https://www.afiego.org/download/handbook-on-citizens-rights-in-esia-processes-afiego/