Ugandan climate activist Abdulaziz Bweete fights for environmental justice: Video
Despite facing government repression and imprisonment, 26-year-old Ugandan climate activist Abdulaziz Bweete remains relentless in his fight for environmental justice.
Speaking about his journey with the AFP, Bweete shared how his activism began at university, where he delved into environmental research and awareness campaigns, leading to his involvement in the climate movement.
Bweete has faced hardships, including imprisonment and conflicts with university authorities. Reflecting on his time in prison, he described it as "hell on earth" but emphasised his unwavering commitment to the cause.
"I have been to prison, I have had wrangles or we have scratched backs (conflicts, ed.) with University itself, with the chief security, because we have made some activities from the campus itself where we have been sensitising (raising awareness, ed.) and mobilising students to be part of this call,” adding that “never at any point do I feel that I have to give up,” despite losing his job at an electronics store due to fears of government backlash.
His activism further extends to raising awareness about the environmental and social impact of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), where he has interviewed locals displaced by the project. "People have been under-compensated," he noted, while also expressing concerns about the pipeline's proximity to Lake Victoria, warning of potential environmental disasters.
"I have interested myself to travel to these places (along the EACOP oil pipeline, ed) and interviewed the local people. People have been displaced, that is true. People have been under-compensated. This assessment was done in 2019 and they are now just being compensated, you see the value gap there. The climate bit of it: a third of this pipeline is passing through Lake Victoria. Just imagine one spillover of this pipeline, what would be the effect to the aquatic life, like the fish?" he said.
