Uganda: Members of Parliament (MPs) push for reforms to curb fraudulent land titling

Strengthening of the National Land Information System (NLIS) through full operationalisation of key digital systems and stronger supervision of land offices, will improve accountability, protect land ownership rights and restore public confidence in land administration.

This proposal by the Committee on Lands follows an oversight visit to six ministry zonal offices in Mukono, Wakiso, Masaka, Jinja, Mbale and Soroti. The visits were to assess the performance of land administration systems and challenges associated with double/multiple and overlapping titles.

A report tabled by Committee Chairperson, Hon. Edson Rugumayo on Wednesday, 11 November 2026 revealed that failure to exercise due diligence by land officers leads to issuance of double, multiple or overlapping titles.

The report cited the case of Henley Property Developers Limited versus the Attorney General, where a mailo certificate of title was issued to the developers in error and later cancelled by the registrar, which moved the developers to sue the Attorney General for compensation.

“Court held in favour of Henley Property Developers Limited and granted it Shs50 billion as compensation for the market value of the land. This compensation was upheld by the Supreme Court which faulted the land registry for committing a grave administration error of double registration,” reads the report.

The committee also recommended a clean-up of land records, investigation and prosecution of those involved in fraud, and improving staffing and infrastructure at ministry zonal offices.

A separate report on the Lands Minister’s suspension of issuance of Special Certificates of Title revealed that the ministry did not provide sufficient evidence to justify a nationwide suspension.

The committee noted that the move affected genuine applicants, including those with lost or damaged land titles and those seeking titles through lawful court orders.

“Although the minister’s intentions were well-meaning, the suspension was not in accordance with the law and disrupted land transactions, access to credit, investment and government revenue,” Rugumayo said.

Hon. Eliab Naturinda (NRM, Ndorwa County West) proposed the involvement of local council leaderships in the processing of land titles, while alluding to the committee’s recommendation that the Ministry of Lands should require registrars of land titles, land surveyors and land officers, to conduct boundary opening.

“When you send valuers or surveyors on the site to issue a special certificate of title and you do not visit local council leaders, you are creating another problem. I recommend that these leaders should be involved in land processing,” said Naturinda.

Hon. George Musisi (NUP, Kira Municipality) also recommended the involvement of physical neighbours to the land, to ascertain authenticity of ownership before a certificate of title is issued.

Kyankwanzi District Woman Representative, Hon. Ann Nankabirwa urged the Ministry of Lands to weigh in on the fraudulent conversion of land titles from Kabaka’s land into free-hold titles.

“When government returned Kabaka’s land titles, the condition was that people with leases on the land would be considered for renewal. When Wamala Growers Cooperative Union pursued a lease renewal, some of the titles could not be found until we discovered that the file had been converted into freehold,” Nankabirwa noted.

Hon. Boniface Okot (NRM, Kole South County), proposed amendment of the law to hold accountable, lands officers who issue certificates of title in error, noting that tax payers often bear the burden of double titling.

“There is need for this House to amend Section 159 of the Registration of Titles Act, so that the land officer who is culpable in this matter, bears the burden of the mistake,” Okot said.

Section 159 of the Act states that, ‘Neither the Registrar nor any person acting under his or her authority shall be liable to any action or proceeding for or in respect of any act or matter bona fide done or omitted to be done in the exercise or supposed exercise of any power or duty given or imposed by this Act’.

Hon. Gyaviira Lubowa (NUP, Nyendo-Mukungwe Division) observed that some lands offices still operate manual systems and reiterated the proposal to fully integrate the National Lands Information System, to effectively curb fraudulent issuance of land titles.

The Speaker, Jacob Marksons Oboth directed  the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development to offer permanent employment to lands officers operating under contract basis, which he said will promote integrity in land administration.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.