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From a Kenyan community's lawsuit against an oil giant to Uganda's anti-pipeline protests, East Africans are challenging the human and environmental costs of oil.
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00:19I'm getting some hopes now that at the end of the tunnel we will get justice.
00:31Oil projects begin with promises about the future, cheap energy, jobs, prosperity, but
00:40their true costs become visible decades later for the fears of primary drivers of climate
00:46change.
00:47The heat, the emissions trap is intensifying and frequency and severity of drought, heat
00:53waves, wildfires and floods.
00:55In areas close to oil projects, the damage can become deeply personal.
01:03The cost is measured not in degrees or tons of carbon, but in hospital visits and loved
01:10ones buried.
01:11Yet after decades of waiting, people in Northern Kenya have not given up their fight for justice.
01:18.
01:24.
01:25I was very proud of the family.
01:27I was very proud of the family.
01:37I was very proud of the family.
01:38I had a smile on my face and I asked myself.
01:4956 year old Kasimokapina was recently diagnosed
01:52as stage 4 throat cancer.
01:58a mother of six and grandmother of eight she lives in kargi a small settlement in northern
02:04kenya's marsabit county like many randile families she spent most of her life moving
02:10between home and distant grazing areas following her livestock across the desert
02:20they depend on clean water not just for themselves for their livestock too but now
02:26kesemo cannot go and fetch water anymore
02:38okay Samo lost her husband to the disease just a few months ago she is not alone cancer has
02:45affected other families across the region for former nurse Asunta Galgitele the warning signs
02:50began to surface within weeks of starting work at kargi dispensary more than 20 years ago I got
02:57eight patients who are having difficulty installing solid foods and I started getting interested to
03:05know what is happening because I knew about cancer in school in my nursing school and I did not get
03:15anybody who had throat cancer the Chalbi desert is one of the harshest landscapes here in Kenya a
03:22place where every drop of water matters but here in marsabit the struggle isn't just about to drought
03:29the community believes that a legacy buried beneath this desert has left them battling illness over a
03:36decade now they have taken the matter to court seeking answers from one of the biggest energy
03:42companies in the world I am meeting environmental lawyer Kevin Kubai he has spent years gathering
03:49evidence tracing reports and helping residents finally turn decades of grievances into a legal case
03:58the extent of the environmental degradation and harm that we witness in marsabit is of
04:04improportionate value I would call it an environmental genocide given the number of documented cases we've
04:15documented over 500 cases of persons deceased due to cancer and this has been in the last decade and I'm
04:22apprehensive that if no urgent concerns or measures are put in place then these numbers will rise
04:32could this mysterious white substance be linked to the cancer cases reported in the area the white powder
04:39was left behind during oil exploration in the late 1980s here and at roughly a dozen other sites across the
04:48wider kargi area at the time some residents believed the salty substance was harmless some even used it to
04:55season their food many of them also were gracing their animals here children are coming to play here and there
05:08were also some incidences of animals dying after taking service water and I think it's because of this
05:17a waste whitish substance and I think that is the main cause of the throat cancer in my area
05:43in February 2026 a Sunta kesemo and 297 other residents filed a class action lawsuit at Kenya's
05:53Environment Environment and Land Court a specialized court for environmental disputes kesemo wants to see her
06:01grandchildren grow up but doctors offer little hope her son Andrew was studying education hoping to become a
06:09teacher when his mother fell ill he put those plans on hold to care for her and support the family
06:17Beto Children was looking for a long time and calling him to talk about his culture whether her
06:24council entities would realize the IRS which we were referencing his acting experience
06:32he can do a game with the Several Urban Investor on Family Market during its employment but it is more
06:48The cancer has not only taken Kisemo's strength, but also her sense of purpose.
07:12A few rusting well markers serve as reminders of the oil exploration campaign conducted
07:18here by Amoco in the late 80s.
07:20Today, Amoco is part of British energy giant BP.
07:24In the desert, there are many metals which are written Amoco Kenya.
07:29So there are traces that it is true Amoco Kenya were working in our area.
07:34We did not know what they were doing and we would like the government to tell us what
07:42they came to do because we are suspecting that they dumped toxic waste in our area.
07:48Drilling was done overnight.
07:50They were saying that there were things that were being poured into the drilling area and
07:57in the morning those places were sealed and they could not see what has been put inside.
08:03If there were buried toxic substances, could they have seeped into the groundwater?
08:10In 2009, the Kenyan government tested seven water sources around Kargi.
08:18These reports determined that the water is laced with very many contaminants, including lead,
08:27including arsenic, including barite, and very high levels of nitrate and nitrate.
08:32In a nutshell, these reports indicate that proper waste disposal was not carried out by these companies
08:38as per the international standards. Since leaving this site on or around 1984 to 1992,
08:46these companies have never gone back to these areas to determine whether any of these materials
08:52that they closed off have been able to escape to the environment, which is against the international best practices.
08:57A sample from Kargi Bohol, the village's main water source, contained 1.109 milligrams of arsenic per liter.
09:07The level measured was more than 110 times higher than the WHO guideline.
09:13The report identifies arsenic and nitrites as substances that may contribute to cancer.
09:19The source of the arsenic remains unclear. It hasn't been established whether it is caused by oil exploration,
09:26or by natural geological processes.
09:31This will now be the task of the court. It's the third proceeding, and today I'm setting up a laptop
09:37so the community can follow the hearing together. Asunta translates the discussion.
09:44In April 2026, the court ruled that the case could proceed to a full hearing.
09:50We reached out to BP for comment on the allegations, but the company did not respond to our request by
09:56the time of publication.
09:59I had a brother who died of cancer, a former student who died of cancer. I had many residents who
10:09I cared as a nurse, as a profession in Kargi,
10:12because my community are few people, we are not many, so I'm worried. If we continue dying, we will perish,
10:21all of us, and we will be just in history that there are people called Rendile before, and I don't
10:29want that to happen.
10:29There may be questions of a BP's handling of waste from its former oil exploration activities.
10:36But does a bigger question lie with the Kenyan government? Health and environmental concerns in the area have been raised
10:43for more than 15 years.
10:45So why were local communities not systematically monitored or informed about the findings?
10:52Back in 2012, Kenya's water minister promised new sources of drinking water for Kargi. Nothing happened since.
11:00We still wonder why alternative water sources have never been provided to the people of Marsabit for all these years.
11:06Then children born in Marsabit are just but condemned to death, even before they have a chance to live a
11:14life and enjoy a clean and healthy environment.
11:16We also contacted Kenya's environmental regulator, Nema, for comment, but received no response by the time of publication.
11:24The courtiers may take years, but what the people of Kargi need is government action now.
11:30I want justice for my people, and that keeps on motivating me to want to know exactly what is the
11:39cause, so that I save other generations.
11:52Getting to Kargi took us about 16 hours, and that journey gives you a sense of just how isolated this
11:58community is.
11:59But what stayed with me the most is not how difficult it is to reach Kargi, it's how difficult it
12:04seems for the people here to be heard.
12:07They are asking for something very basic, access to proper health care and safe drinking water.
12:12For over a decade now, the government promised an alternative water supply.
12:16The community says they are still waiting, and as a journalist, being in Kargi and listening to these stories, I
12:23felt a deep sense of helplessness.
12:25Because people should not have to fight for something as basic as clean water, or wait years to know whether
12:31the environment around them is putting their health at risk.
12:34Here in Nigeria, we know what an oil legacy can look like.
12:40In just 17 years, more than 14,000 oil spills were recorded, more than two every day.
12:46Repairing the damage caused by oil in Bayosa state alone is estimated to cost at least 12 billion US dollars.
12:54Uganda is actively involved in the massive EA Cup pipeline project to carry oil to the Tanzania coast.
13:00It is yet to be completed. Some Ugandans therefore believe that this is the moment to raise their lamb before
13:08environmental hazards become another decade-long legacy,
13:12even though getting that warning heard can cost them daily.
13:18Maktoum Kajubi has been arrested more than 10 times for protesting Uganda's oil projects.
13:24Today, he walks into court again, but not as they are accused.
13:28Four fellow activists are facing charges of being a public nuisance after a demonstration on August 10, 2026.
13:37Maktoum hopes his colleagues will walk free.
13:39We have brought our assurities, we have brought our documents for our comrades,
13:43and we believe they have a right to be given bail. But it depends on the magistrate.
13:52In 2025, DW reported on Maktoum and his friends' protests against the construction of the East African crude oil pipeline.
14:05There, he sustained injuries during arrest. A year later, Maktoum says his hand troubles him and he cannot afford further
14:13treatment.
14:14So what exactly is the eco-project that Maktoum is willing to risk his health fighting against?
14:22The pipeline will allow Uganda to export crude oil from two major oil fields.
14:27It will skirt the vulnerable ecosystem of Lake Victoria, then crosses the border to Tanzania, ending at the port of
14:35Tanga.
14:36The pipeline is now more than 90% complete with officials targeting fast oil exports by the end of 2026.
14:44The $5 billion project is backed by French Total Energies and the China National Offshore Oil Corporation.
14:53Governments insist the project meets the highest environmental standards.
14:57But critics say the risks far outweigh the benefits.
15:03Some of the drilling is inside Machishan Falls National Park.
15:08This is a vulnerable ecosystem that is home to elephants and other endangered species like the grey-crowned crane.
15:15A potential oil spill could affect Lake Victoria, Africa's largest freshwater lake.
15:21Over 40 million people rely on its water for fishing and farming.
15:27The Albertine Rift region is a very fragile ecosystem.
15:32Very fragile in the sense that if NSP happens, a lot of our biodiversity will be disrupted or even destroyed.
15:43Shami Keiza Nalwada spent nearly nine months in prison to prevent this from happening.
15:49Today, she joins Maktoum to show solidarity with her friends.
15:54She was arrested after protesting against Stanbik Bank's financing of the pipeline project last year.
16:01She says she is fighting for a greener future for her country.
16:05The government sees oil as a driver of growth and their critics are accused of serving foreign interests.
16:12No, it's not true. We do this from the bottom of our heart because we love our country and we
16:18love seeing green everywhere.
16:20As we climate activists, we are not paid to do these activities. So, that is propaganda.
16:28For Maktoum, the activism has come at a high personal cost. His family have withdrawn their support and finding work
16:36has become almost impossible.
16:38Since he can't afford tuition, he still couldn't complete his degree at the university.
16:44Most people don't want to associate with me. Like someone cannot give you a job because they think you are
16:51what? You are into or you are fighting against the government, which is not the case.
16:56For us, we are not against the government. We are against the activities and all other things that are affecting
17:04our environment and the climate.
17:06With the pipeline almost complete, Maktoum's campaign has widened. Now called Rooted in Resistance, the group wants Uganda to abandon
17:15oil extraction altogether.
17:18So, we are not giving up because the pipeline has reached 90% or something. We are still on it.
17:24This campaign is not only for students now. It is for everyone. All the youths, all the women, all our
17:30fathers. That's why we call it Rooted in Resistance.
17:33We just change to welcome all other members.
17:37And their victories. Recently, Uganda's High Court ordered compensation for members of Rooted in Resistance.
17:46And that's what I was putting to the judicial officer. Their citizens exercising their constitutional right to express themselves.
17:52Stay protected, right under our constitution.
17:55For the four activists at this hearing, detention continues.
17:58Maktoum says the magistrate gave them no opportunity to apply for bail and sent them back to prison at least
18:05one more week.
18:06I sometimes get worried for myself because as I told you, as we continue doing this, it even becomes more
18:14threatening.
18:15But he says he will continue protesting.
18:19Our message is just clear. We are saying no to oil. That's all. That's all we want. Let them leave
18:26it in the ground.
18:30And what if these big fossil fuel projects are not the way to go for economic prosperity?
18:37Africa has 60% of the world's best solar resources. Yet billions are still going into oil fuels and pipelines.
18:45Here, countries with less energy infrastructure are often described as lagging behind.
18:52But behind whom? And on which road? In any case, think again.
18:58Because being a latecomer might actually be an advantage.
19:03A bunch of countries are about to do something amazing.
19:07They're skipping past 200 years of fossil fuels, coal plants, oil trade, energy crises
19:12to a future built on cheap, clean and renewable electricity.
19:16Let's take a look.
19:19This chart shows the history of where the energy we use comes from.
19:23Let's take the US as an example.
19:26Before fossil fuels, everyone was in this corner over here, using biomass.
19:30Think wood-fired ovens, waste burning, candles.
19:34In the following decades, the US moved from biomass all the way down here.
19:38They built their industrial society on fossil fuels.
19:42Coal ovens, gas stoves, petrol and cars.
19:45Lots more energy, but also lots of emissions.
19:48Then, slowly, electricity became more important.
19:51Electric stoves, light bulbs or, more recently, electric cars and heat pumps.
19:56This is the good stuff, what we want more of.
20:00Because when we power this electrotech with renewable electricity like solar and wind,
20:04we get all the benefits of modern society with none of the emissions downsides.
20:09The US took a long journey down into fossil fuels before they slowly made their way towards this corner.
20:15Today, around 20% of energy used in the US comes from electricity.
20:18And this curve looks pretty much the same for any country across Europe and North America.
20:23Wood first, then fossil fuels, and then, slowly, more electricity.
20:27Also still mostly made using fossil fuels.
20:31Some experts call this the fossil fuel detour.
20:35It made the West super rich.
20:37But it also got all of us into this mess.
20:40Greenhouse gases, rising temperatures, climate crisis, you know the deal.
20:44But the good news is that the fossil fuel detour may be a thing of the past.
20:48Look at China, for instance.
20:50They started industrializing around here, from the 1950s.
20:54Coal, oil and gas was still essential.
20:57But electricity could be integrated much quicker than in 1900s USA.
21:01So they turn off towards electrification a little earlier than the West.
21:06That sets them up better for using renewables now and in the future.
21:10But this is where it gets super interesting.
21:12A lot of countries are building their energy infrastructure today.
21:16And these countries are on the fast track.
21:19Dipping less into fossil energy and moving much quicker from biomass to electricity.
21:24That includes countries like India in the lower middle income bracket.
21:27They're electrifying at least as fast as China with even less of a detour.
21:31And it also includes low income countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.
21:36They're on the fast track to electrifying without the dip into fossil fuels.
21:40That means the countries with the lowest income right now are the ones best placed to run on cheap, clean,
21:47renewable electricity.
21:50In 2023, only around a quarter of all electricity was renewable globally.
21:55But almost all new capacity added these days is based on solar or wind power.
22:00And big economies like India or Vietnam are not only catching up.
22:03Most of them are already using more renewables than richer countries.
22:07In 2023, solar power alone made up at least 6% of electricity in India, 10% in Vietnam.
22:13The global average was 5%.
22:16That makes them a lot cleaner than the US or China were at the same level of economic development.
22:21And solar panel imports suggest actual figures might be even higher.
22:25This is not a theoretical story at all.
22:28We're seeing a leapfrog take place right across the emerging markets.
22:31The whole of Asia is moving quickly and the whole of Europe and the United States is stagnant.
22:36In Pakistan, for example, people have been buying solar panels from China en masse in the past few years to
22:42avoid steep electricity prices and frequent power outages.
22:45People are just going out there and buying balcony solar and rooftop solar and putting on their homes and getting
22:52cheap energy.
22:55That is particularly important when it comes to this group of countries, most of them across sub-Saharan Africa.
23:01Some of the people don't have access to electricity at all.
23:04In rural areas, there might simply be no grid to connect to.
23:08At the same time, countries in this category have to import any fossil fuels they use, making energy crises and
23:14oil price fluctuations hit much harder.
23:16Or problems that renewables are great at solving.
23:20Most of Europe doesn't get nearly as much sun as the global south.
23:24Countries there are among the best suited in the whole world for using solar power.
23:28And they have enough space for solar farms to cover electricity demand hundreds of times over.
23:34Decentralized mini-grids or rooftop solar can be set up anywhere, quickly, flexibly and cheaply.
23:40That makes going electric a solution for both energy access and energy independence.
23:45If you add solar plus batteries, you can get cheap electricity about 90% of the time from the sun
23:54alone.
23:55The foundation of your system can become solar plus batteries right across the global sunbelt.
24:01So it's a massive advantage.
24:03And we're already seeing countries seize this advantage.
24:06Ethiopia in 2024 became the first country to fully ban the import of petrol cars.
24:11Electric vehicles, meanwhile, are duty free and are becoming more common quickly.
24:17In the next decade or two, these sorts of decisions can lead to some pretty big changes to the global
24:21economy.
24:22It will be cheaper, cleaner, secure to produce electricity in the south.
24:30So that will mean that increasing amount of industrial companies will find out that actually it's going to be cheaper
24:38for us
24:39if we moved our production to, for example, somewhere in Sub-Saharan Africa,
24:44because they have this cheap, firm, clean solar power plus batteries available.
24:50That could be true for a lot of industries.
24:52From factories to data centers powering AI infrastructure, our whole global economy is hungry for electricity.
24:59So where electricity is cheap and abundant, wealth will follow.
25:03You're going to have faster growth in the emerging markets.
25:07You will have less financial crises.
25:11It will make a material difference to people's quality of lives.
25:18If we follow this path, we're headed for something that feels pretty rare.
25:23Low income countries have the edge here.
25:25They're the ones that will lead the way to a world built on cheap, abundant, independent and sustainable electricity.
25:34You can find more stories like these in our EcoDrop newsletter.
25:38Bye for now.
25:40Well, and if you have any ideas yourself, we would love to hear your suggestions.
25:46Write to us at echo at dw.com.
25:49Thanks for watching.
26:10Bye.
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