An Analysis of the Efficacy of the Legal Framework on Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative in Uganda’s Oil and Gas Industry.

Abstract

The resource of Oil and Gas has over the years proven to be a blessing to countries that have harnessed its potential to their advantage. It has also proven itself to be a catastrophe to the countries that mismanaged it and this has made it a feared resource. Uganda recently discovered this treasure, or should the researcher say, this damnation. The ball is in her hands to decide how to benefit from the oil and gas in the Albertine region. Historically, all who have discovered oil have laid plans in form of guidelines and laws to govern the process of utilizing it. This process became so efficient that countries started organizing themselves at international level, to prevent catastrophes like the deep-water horizon oil spill from ever occurring again. This birthed the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) which sought to create a mechanism of sustainable use of the resource without causing damage to communities. Uganda recently joined this fraternity and therefore must follow the code that EITI stands for. The question however is; Is Uganda legally and organizationally ready to accept this responsibility? Or has she already made damages that cannot be atoned by joining the EITI?, then recommendations herein would suffice to put the resource to better use for the benefit of all the citizenry present and future.