The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
KAMPALA, UGANDA | THE INDEPENDENT | Census findings show that only 58 percent of Ugandans who own land have legal documents as the country grapples with escalating land conflicts.
In Greater Luwero districts, several people are in a panic over rampant evictions from land. The latest case involves over 300 people settled at the disputed piece of 640 acres of land located at block 321 plot 4 that covers the entire Muwaluzi village in Butalangu town council in Nakaseke district.
Charles Kazungu the LCI Chairman of Muwaluzi village said that the people settled on the land in the 1970s knowing that it was public land.
Kazungu said that a resident, Charles Kabashega, got a land title for 60 acres from the District Land Board, and 15 others applied for titles from the Nakaseke Land Board to formalize their stay.
Kazungu said that however, the process stalled after the Buganda Land Board, District Land Board and other Individuals claimed ownership of the entire piece of land.
Recently, Samson Ssemambo, Katumba Kyameze, James Nsibuka, and Janet Nanyondo Ssali Richard, grandsons and granddaughters of Esironi Wakubira Kisibika, emerged with a special land title, which they obtained in 2023. The granddaughters and grandson, together with their great-grandson, claimed the land belonged to their grandfather Wakubira.
The affected residents petitioned Kabuye Kyofatogabye the State Minister of Kampala Metropolitan Affairs who is also a resident of Lusanja village in the district and Resident District Commissioner seeking to block the takeover of land fearing eviction.
Rose Byabasaijja, the Nakaseke Resident District Commissioner said that the District Security Committee has halted the process of opening boundaries and wrote to the Commissioner of Surveying and Mapping in the Ministry of Land to confirm ownership of the land.
Byabashaija said that several land conflicts stem from forged land documents and other occupants who own land but without documents.
Minister Kabuye said that land conflicts are rampant because of rapid urbanization and population explosion chasing fixed land.
Kabuye however said that such challenges shouldn’t be grounds to displace people that are already on land and asked the RDC to verify the land documents and ownership of the land before any action is taken.
Kabuye also accused land offices, local leaders and families of aiding land conflicts.
In Luwero district, Sarah Nekesa and Joseph Etono were detained at Luwero Central Police Station on Wednesday on charges of criminal trespass after another person identified as Namuddu emerged claiming ownership of their kibanja 20 years after they bought it. Five other tenants have also been summoned.
Sunday Katongole who is among tenant summoned tenants said he is surprised by the Police action to slap charges of criminal trespass on them yet they have lived on the land for decades and have land agreements.
The National Housing and Population main census report released in December 2024 has revealed that only 7,392,769 (16.7%) of the total 45,905,417 people have land in Uganda. The report further indicates only 3,836,860 (58.0%) of the 6,618,715 adult population who owned land, had legal documentation.
Disaggregation by age groups showed that 50.6 percent of persons aged 60 years and above-owned land, while less than four percent (3.9%) of children (0-17 years) owned land
Among the adult males, 36.7 percent owned land and among the adult females, 24.4 percent owned land.
Kampala Capital City had the highest proportion of people that have land with legally recognized documentation at 81.1% while the Lango sub-Region had the lowest (29.3%).
Buganda region comes second with 76.9 people who own land and have legal documents followed by Kigezi at 71.2% Bugisu at 70%, Busoga at 68.8%, Rwenzori at 65.7% and Ankole at 65.5%. Other regions are Bukedi at 64.7%, Tooro at 64.2% and Bunyoro at 55.8% among other regions.
The report didn’t reveal though what kind of legal documents the owners have. However, the recognized legal land documents are land titles or sales agreements. Four land tenures in Uganda include freehold, leasehold, mailoland and customary land.
Although the Buganda region is the second with the highest population of people who own land with legal documents, cases of land conflicts are most prevalent in the area over forged documents and others who own land without documents among other factors.
Among the most affected districts in Uganda are Luwero and Nakaseke districts.
Patrick Mwesigye the Former district councillor for Kamira sub-county said conflicts have emerged after people emerged with forged documents and evicted people from the land.
Mwesigye added that others have genuine land titles but they don’t respect tenants whom they own land who also acquired it through legal sales agreements.
Other fake claimants process land titles without knowledge of the occupants following the deaths of genuine owners.
Every Tuesday and Thursday at least 30 people flock to the Office of Resident District Commissioner seeking mediation in land conflicts.
Richard Bwabye the Luwero Resident District Commissioner said that land conflicts stemmed from people disregarding legal documents and others acting with impunity to evict lawful tenants.
Bwabye said they have directed the Police to stop arresting any person on charges of criminal trespass unless they have consulted with LC 1 Chairmen to confirm the charges.
“We found out that charges were being used to threaten and evict people illegally from the land,” Bwabye said.
The Local leaders and residents have asked the Police to streamline land laws and protect both tenants as well as landlords.
According to the Police crime report, Luwero district registered the highest number of criminal trespass cases with 192 cases, followed by Kasangati division with 163 cases and Mpigi with 155 cases among other districts in 2023. The district came second among the districts with the highest cases of malicious damage to property with 146 cases, mostly related to land conflicts.
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