‘Europeans are insufferable, shallow, egocentric , arrogant and so wrong; EACOP will go on as planned’ - Museveni

While giving his keynote address during the annual oil and gas summit, President described the European Union Parliamentarians as egocentric, shallow, arrogant and wrong 

‘Europeans are insufferable, they need to control themselves not to explode , they are so wrong, they think they know everything but are broadcasting their ignorance all over the place for EACOP is a wrong one for them’ President Museveni said

He further said that as a country they don’t take such arrogant battles with  Europeans lightly, he continued to add that EACOP will be implemented according to schedule and hopes EACOP partners can go ahead.

‘Those young girls demonstrating against EACOP I met them in Europe, they need counseling’ he added referring to climate change activists

Museveni said Total energies convinced him to build a pipeline instead of a refinery

‘I asked Total, where are you taking our petroleum, we Africans also  have energy needs here, why not build a refinery and we supply ourselves?’ , he said adding that Total told advised him that a pipeline was an easy way to get money faster.

Museveni said that at first he looked at the idea of a pipeline as a compromise on Uganda’s part, because over 12.7  dollars  are lost for each barrel pumped through the pipeline  a fee that wouldn’t be lost is a refinery was constructed here.

‘EU parliament has enough to do in their own place, I advise them to spend much time solving the problems of our people in Europe because East  Africa has people who know what to do’ President Museveni added

The President further clarified on why he gave in to the idea of constructing a refinery; ‘ I realized Tanzania would also benefit and Tanzania has played a key role in liberation of many African countries, I was happy to contribute to the development of the Tanzania economy,Secondly whereas we have oil, there isn’t much gas, so we needed to tap into gas from Tanzania and Mozambique because Tanzania agreed that we could use the same corridor from which the crude oil will passes , to bring gas from Tanzania and Mozambique to Uganda’

Museveni says he is now more committed to the pipeline for its good for Uganda and neighboring coastal countries.

He encouraged oil companies to move ahead with the refinery and pipeline.

Museveni says the green movement in the world is good, even when the Europeans are generating more carbon emissions than the whole of Africa.

Additionally the EACOP  petroleum will support the manufacture of other petroleum products used in making Tyres, clothes, medicines , fertilizers, tarmac etc, this means petroleum will be useful for a very long time as the world undertakes energy transition.

Uganda discovered 6.5 billion barrels of  in lake Albert, however only 1.4 billion barrels can be pumped out by the current technology .

Museveni also talked about the other alternative sources of energy but said they are still quite expensive, ‘Uganda cannot promote expensive energy which will undermine the country’s industrialization plan’ he said as he revealed that all producers of power above 8 cents per unit will not be supported by government in a bid bring the cost of electricity down.

The President of Uganda also re- echoed Uganda’s commitment to work with Russia;

‘As Uganda we work well with Russians, we agreed signed a bilateral MOU with Russia  and they are studying suitable nuclear technology that can be developed in Uganda'