Four Ugandan farmers have filed a lawsuit in the UK High Court seeking to stop the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) from becoming operational.
The legal action, reported by The Rio Times, targets the $5.6 billion infrastructure project before it begins transporting crude oil.
The case represents a significant escalation in the long-running controversy surrounding the 1,443-kilometre heated pipeline, which is designed to transport crude from Uganda to the Tanzanian coast.
By bringing the challenge to a UK court, the plaintiffs are attempting to leverage international legal mechanisms to block a project that has faced years of opposition from local communities and environmental groups.
EACOP is being developed by TotalEnergies and China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC).
The project has been marred by disputes over land acquisition and resettlement, with affected landowners previously taking the Ugandan government to court over attempts to relocate them to areas with inadequate social services.