What President Museveni’s eviction directive was meant to achieve

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OPINION

By Baker Mugaino

In a significant policy shift, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni issued a directive prohibiting illegal evictions, particularly targeting squatters on public land.

This measure aims to formalise their occupancy, granting legal protections against unlawful displacements. Building on previous presidential orders, it promotes inclusive land governance in a country where land issues stem from a turbulent history.

Pre-colonial communal systems were disrupted by colonial policies, such as the 1900 Buganda Agreement, which entrenched elite control under mailo tenure.

Post-independence, reforms like the 1969 Public Lands Act and Idi Amin’s 1975 Decree intensified vulnerabilities, resulting in thousands of annual evictions.

Today, with Uganda’s population surpassing 47 million and urbanisation accelerating, about 70% of citizens rely on customary tenure systems, making secure land rights essential.

The directive’s core components include a nationwide moratorium on evictions without due process, reviews by district security committees (DSCs) incorporating community feedback and mandatory ministerial approval to ensure equity.

It enforces swift prosecutions under the amended 1998 Land Act, which guarantees indefinite occupancy for tenants meeting obligations.

This has alleviated judicial backlogs and empowered marginalised groups as evidenced by independent assessments showing reduced disputes and enhanced protections for the vulnerable.

Boosting agricultural productivity and investment

A primary outcome of the directive is its positive impact on agriculture, which employs over 70% of Ugandans.

Secure tenure incentivises long-term investments in soil conservation, irrigation, and high-yield crops, free from eviction threats. Uganda’s diverse tenure systems — mailo, customary and public land — have historically varied in investment appeal; formalising squatter rights and prohibiting illegal evictions equalises opportunities, fostering efficient land use and higher productivity.

Studies demonstrate that tenure security correlates with increased outputs, as farmers adopt modern methods and secure credit using land as collateral. For bibanja holders, this shift from subsistence to commercial farming could revitalise rural economies and bolster national food security.

This integrates seamlessly with the Parish Development Model (PDM) launched in 2022 to transit subsistence households into the money economy.

By elevating tenure security as a foundational element it strengthens PDM’s Pillar 1: Production, Storage, Processing and Marketing (Agricultural Value Chain Development).

Secure rights enable beneficiaries to invest sustainably, combating low productivity and outdated practices.

World Bank evaluations suggest PDM could raise household incomes by 20 30% when tenure serves as a base for agro-enterprises, amplifying the directive’s role in agricultural transformation.

Fostering economic growth and poverty alleviation

Economically, the directive unlocks potential in underutilised lands by alleviating eviction fears, spurring job creation and income growth.

Secure tenure acts as a poverty-reduction tool, allowing landholders to access loans, launch businesses or sell properties for better opportunities.

In Uganda, where land conflicts deepen inequality, this could yield improvements in urban areas through foreign investment and resource optimisation on bibanjas.

Within PDM’s seven-pillar framework, tenure security cuts across multiple areas, notably Pillar 3: Financial Inclusion. It provides collateral for Parish Revolving Fund (PRF) loans, improving repayment and fund sustainability. Combined with PDM audits and eviction safeguards, it protects bibanja holders (customary tenants), enabling participation in economic activities and mindset shifts under Pillar 5. Reports indicate a 15% productivity surge from tenure security, facilitating PDM-aligned investments and broader poverty reduction.

Mitigating conflicts and ensuring social stability

Land evictions have fuelled violence, court overloads and unrest, especially between affluent landlords and tenants. The directive counters this by mandating procedural evictions and empowering Resident District Commissioners to enforce rules.

Outcomes include fewer conflicts and redirecting community energy toward development. Secure tenure promotes peace, aiding displaced groups in reclaiming rights and equitable land distribution.

It advances gender equality and safeguards vulnerable populations like women and indigenous communities, who suffer disproportionately from evictions, fostering societal cohesion.

Nationally, the policy has prevented crises, stopping over 800 evictions in Luwero (Buganda) in August 2025 and protecting over 500 farmers in Busoga in 2024, reducing homelessness.

It has deterred baseless cases created by the evictions, cutting violence in areas like Wakiso. Complementary reforms, such as the 2023 Customary Land guidelines, build trust, which is vital for PDM success.

In Buganda, where Mailo-bibanja tensions persist, the directive exemplifies efforts to minimise displacements.

Definitely, this is a Blueprint for Transformation as President Museveni’s anti-eviction directive marks a pivotal step in reforming Uganda’s land sector, evolving from insecurity and strife to inclusivity, productivity and sustainability.

By embedding tenure security within PDM, it magnifies impacts on agriculture, economy and poverty alleviation. Challenges like equitable access and ownership disputes persist, but the directive’s potential for revolutionising farming, uplifting economies and harmonising society is profound.

It could inspire other African nations facing similar tenure dilemmas, and thus driving continental progress.

The writer is the Ministry of Lands’ Commissioner for Land Registration