Buganda Land Board (BLB) and the Uganda Association of Women Lawyers (FIDA-Uganda) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to have concerted efforts in solving women’s land justice issues.

Speaking at the press conference at Bulange -Mengo last week, Simon Kaboggoza Muwanga, the BLB Chief Executive Officer (CEO), said since they started working with FIDA in different counties within Buganda, they have registered some success in bridging the gap in land issues.

“We have worked with FIDA within the counties and we thought that we need to come together and formalize the relationship to bridge the gap, especially in land issues. We have several issues unresolved because people lack information,” he explained. 

Kaboggozza noted that many Kabaka subjects don’t have the right documentation and as a result, conflicts arise and people run to FIDA to seek justice.

“We sought this collaboration with a Civil Society Organisation to work together as key stakeholders to reach a sizeable number of people to bridge the gaps,” he added.

Liliane Byarugaba, the CEO of FIDA Uganda, said Uganda is grappling with the challenges presented by the existence of multiple tenures and various layers of rights on the piece of land.

“Despite their essential contributions to the national economy, only a few women enjoy secure rights to the land they till. With control and ownership of land mainly concentrated in the hands of men, most women are crucially dependent upon male family members for access to land,” she elaborated. 

Byarugaba recounted that FIDA Uganda decided to work with cultural leaders to resolve domestic violence and the partnership with BLD has seen dividends with 57% of cases resolved recently while in the past, some cases could take longer to be resolved due to systematic barriers.