Govt gives over 44,000 more free land titles to residents

The Government has issued an additional 44,425 free land titles to residents of 13 districts to curb land grabbing and conflicts in Uganda.

Bukedea residents received 2,787; Serere 1,519 titles; Soroti 1,279; Kamuli 7,458; Luuka 642; Jinja 494; Mayuge 3,260; Isingiro 2,978; Ntungamo 3,618; Sheema 2,733, and Kikuube 8,728.

Maracha received 4,313 titles while Oyam got 4,616, with each direct beneficiary required to pay sh85,000 government fees before getting the titles.

Lands minister Judith Nabakooba handed over the titles to the heads of the six Ministry Zonal Offices (MZOs) of Soroti, Jinja, Mbarara, Masindi, Lira, and Arua.

The event took place at the Data Processing Centre, Surveys and Mapping Department in Entebbe, Wakiso district, on Monday (August 4).

The Government promised to issue out at least 391,000 certificates of freehold titles to beneficiaries under the Systematic Land Adjudication and Certification (SLAAC) programme during the second phase, which is ending next month.

“With this programme, unregistered land and interests are ascertained in a systematic manner, parcel by parcel, everyone - rich or poor, educated or illiterate, the vulnerable and marginalised, are all included in securing their rights under this intervention that is highly subsidised by government,” Nabakooba said as she handed over the titles.

“If these land owners had been left without Government support, it would cost between eight million shillings and 10 million shillings to register just one parcel of land, which most citizens cannot afford."

She urged the beneficiaries to ensure they protect their land titles jealously and use their land productively to transform their lives, adding that the titles can be used as collateral in financial institutions to access credits.

Nabakooba asked the different zonal offices to distribute the titles to owners as soon as they reach their respective destinations.

The systematic land adjudication is an innovation of the sitting government sponsored by the World Bank to ensure that no one is left behind during the mapping and registration of land exercise promised in the 2021-2026 election manifesto.

'Accountability'

Nabakooba expressed the Government’s commitment to ensuring land owners acquire their land titles in a significant move to curb land disputes and evictions.

“It is important for citizens to appreciate this government effort to ensure that all land owners acquire a document from government showing the ownership of their land and stay informed about how best to protect and use their land optimally without any threats,” she said.

She also encouraged beneficiaries to utilise the Uganda National Land Information System (UGNLIS) in case they need to confirm their land ownership.

“I strongly encourage all land owners, local leaders and stakeholders countrywide to take advantage of the digitalised land services to regularly check on the land interests, as a means of promoting accountability in land management within the country,” Nabakooba said.

Richard Juuko, the undersecretary of the lands ministry, who represented permanent secretary Dorcas Okalany, expressed commitment to expediting the mass titling exercise to meet the deadline scheduled for September 30.

He said, despite a few challenges, including internet and the exercise being new, they have been able to process these titles as expected.

“The titles are going to increase the tenure security. They are also going to foster growth of the banking sector,” he said.

In July this year, the Government, through the lands ministry, processed and issued at least 57,325 freehold certificates of titles to residents of nine districts under this programme.

Bukedea residents received 9,726; Serere 6,606; Soroti 4,176; Kimuli 4,295; Luuka 488; Isingiro, 1,906; Ntungamo, 8,231; Kikuube 1,418; and Maracha 20,478.

Johson Bigiira, the acting commissioner for land registration, revealed that only 23 per cent of the land has been registered, with hopes of more coverage with the SLAAC programme.