Buganda Kingdom drags 16 local governments to court over office premises

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Buganda Kingdom has dragged at least 16 local governments to court over the continued occupation of office premises located on land the kingdom claims ownership of, a dispute that is now threatening the stability of district administration in central Uganda.

The issue was revealed on January 20, 2026, when the Association of Local Government Administrative Officers of Uganda (ALGAOU) appeared before the Parliamentary Committee on Public Service and Local Government to present its views on the Budget Framework Paper. The committee is chaired by Ojara Martin Mapenduzi (Bardege-Layibi Division).

Presenting to the committee, Buikwe district deputy chief administrative officer Peter Gidongo Wasagami told legislators that several districts have already been served with court summons by the kingdom.

“So far, 16 local governments, mainly in the central region, have been summoned, and I can provide all the court documents to this committee,” Wasagami said.

Caught off-guard

He added that the legal action requires the affected districts to either vacate the premises or begin paying rent, a demand he said local governments are ill-prepared to meet.

“Some districts have started constructing alternative offices, but progress is slow because of limited funding. We have been given a deadline of February this year, yet most of us have nowhere to relocate to,” he noted.

The revelations prompted concern from members of the committee, with the chairperson describing the situation as urgent and unacceptable.

“This is a matter that requires immediate attention. If 16 districts are being forced out of their offices, that is a serious problem,” Mapenduzi said.

He directed the committee clerk to formally record the matter and indicated that Parliament would take further action.

“We need a full list of the affected districts so that we can invite them, together with officials from the Ministry of Local Government, to appear before this committee. We must understand the scope of the problem and how it can be addressed,” he added.

Rooted in historical arrangements

Further details were provided by ALGAOU chairperson Richard Gabriel Atama who said the dispute is rooted in historical land arrangements involving district headquarters in central Uganda.

“Most of these district headquarters sit on land that was eventually returned to the Buganda Kingdom. That has left districts and the kingdom in a difficult relationship, where districts are constantly being told to either vacate or start paying rent,” Atama said.

“This creates instability in planning and budgeting. Districts cannot operate effectively when they do not know whether they will still be in their offices the next day,” he said.

Atama appealed to central government to intervene, arguing that the matter goes beyond individual districts. 

“We are requesting government to step in and find a lasting solution because this is not an issue that local governments can resolve on their own,” he said.

Atama told the committee that over the past three to four years, government has created several new districts, municipalities, and town councils, but many of them lack basic road construction equipment.

“Some town councils previously received equipment, but the newer ones have not been supported. Without machinery, maintaining and opening up roads becomes almost impossible,” he said.

He added that the lack of equipment has directly affected service delivery and local economic activity.

ALGAOU also called for increased funding for capacity building across local governments, saying continuous training is essential for effective administration.

“We are asking that funds for capacity building be provided either annually or every one or two years so that local government staff can keep pace with the changing administrative demands,” Atama said.