TPDC: Oil pipeline agreement still on despite demise of Magufuli

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) said signing of the crude oil pipeline project is still on course after burial of the late president John Magufuli.

According to Uganda president Yoweri Museveni, Tanzania, Uganda and the pipeline implementer Total were to sign a tripartite agreement on Monday March 22, 2021 in Entebbe but it was postponed following the death of Magufuli last Wednesday.

TPDC managing director James Mataragio said yesterday that Magufuli had assigned the then Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan to represent him.

He said that everything was set for the former Ms Samia Suluhu Hassan, who is now the President to go to Uganda and conclude the deal on behalf of the late President Magufuli.

“His wish was to see the Hoima-Tanga crude oil pipeline deal finalised. He had already chosen his representative to sign the deal on his behalf, unfortunately he passed on before seeing this happen,” he said.

To honor the Magufuli’s dream and vision Dr Mataragio said they will send a letter to Uganda, suggesting a date for sealing the deal soon after the late president is laid to rest.

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni on Monday revealed that he had sent a letter to his Tanzanian counterpart, which would have seen the two Heads of State seal the crude oil pipeline deal.

A video shown Mr Museveni speaking to a small gathering of Ugandan government leaders in Kampala to pay their respects to the late Tanzanian President John Magufuli.

Mr Museveni expressed his sadness saying that instead of signing the deal, he was signing a condolence book following the death of Magufuli.

“Two weeks ago, I wrote to Magufuli about the oil pipeline. Today, March 22, was supposed to be the signing day for the tripartite between Uganda, Tanzania, and Total – the signing was supposed to take place in Entebbe,” said Museveni.

He further added that in the letter, he had [jokingly] written that today would be a double victory day, referencing a historical moment on a similar day in 1979 when the Tanzanian and Ugandan army joined forces to defeat Iddi Amin.

“About 42 years ago, on March 21, the Tanzanian army, together with Ugandan freedom fighters – with me present, defeated the army of Iddi Amin in the counter attack against the town of Mbarara at a place called Rukando – 12 miles from Mbarara on the Kabaale road. So, I joked that today would be a double victory; one for our military but also for our economy,” he said, adding that the fact that he is instead signing a condolence book was so sad and unexpected.

The oil pipeline is intended to transport crude oil from Uganda’s oil fields in Hoima to the Port of Tanga, Tanzania on the shores of the Indian Ocean.

Once completed, the pipeline will be the longest heated crude oil pipeline in the world.

Magufuli will be laid to rest in his home town of Chato on Friday.