With the Uganda-Tanzania energy deals, Museveni pushing EAC integration into overdrive

What the report says

The Independent Uganda published a commentary arguing that Uganda and Tanzania’s recent energy agreements reflect President Yoweri Museveni’s long-running push for East African integration. The piece says Museveni and Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan witnessed a set of memorandums signed in Dar es Salaam on August 6, 2026, involving the Uganda National Oil Company, the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation and Vitol Bahrain E.C.

According to the article, the deals cover joint development of the Tanga Regional Energy Hub and broader cooperation in oil refining, bulk storage, logistics and a planned multiproduct pipeline linking Tanga and Uganda. It says the projects are intended to build on the East African Crude Oil Pipeline and could draw more than $20 billion in integrated energy infrastructure investment. The commentary also cites Uganda’s earlier purchase of a 20.15% stake in Kenya Pipeline Company as another example of regional economic cooperation.

Beyond energy, the author connects the agreements to wider security and political integration in the region, including the East African Standby Force and joint operations involving Uganda and neighboring states. As background, East African integration has long been promoted through trade, infrastructure and security partnerships, though the article presents these developments as part of Museveni’s personal vision rather than as an official policy statement. The commentary argues that such ties create shared markets and security interests, making cooperation more valuable for regional governments.