Business 28 September 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Soroti Land Prices Skyrocket, Making Homeownership Unattainable for Many
Land prices in Soroti City have surged dramatically, transforming plots that once cost millions into properties valued in the hundreds of millions, effectively pricing out ordinary residents. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/soroti-land-prices-put-property-ownership-beyond-reach-5612936
Soroti City is experiencing a dramatic real estate boom, with land prices escalating to levels that render property ownership an unattainable dream for many of its residents. What were once modest transactions in the low millions have now climbed to staggering figures, creating a significant barrier for average earners.
A 100-by-100-metre plot, which could be purchased for Shs5 million to Shs10 million in the early 2000s, now commands a price of Shs20 million to Shs50 million, depending heavily on its location within the city. In prime areas, even dilapidated structures on land are being marketed for prices ranging from Shs700 million to a colossal Shs1 billion.
Land brokers attribute this steep inflation to a confluence of factors, primarily driven by increased demand and the influence of a few affluent buyers who set a high benchmark over time. “When they went to acquire land in places like Opuyo, Amen, Camp Swahili, Madera and Otucopi, at the time when Soroti was still a municipality, this class of wealthy persons set the bar high,” explained Mr. Ssegawa, a local land broker. Subsequent sellers have largely adopted these established prices as the standard for their own transactions.
The escalating costs have created a challenging market for average citizens. For instance, former local government housing in Senior Quarters, once acquired for around Shs5 million two decades ago, are now listed between Shs500 million and Shs600 million. This makes it difficult for new property owners to find tenants who can afford the high rents required to recoup investments.
Teachers like Pauline Agwang are being forced to look outside the city for affordable land, citing her own experience of finding plots in Soroti priced at Shs20 million, while securing a similar plot in Kumi Municipality for Shs8 million. The high land values in Soroti are also indirectly pushing up rental costs, impacting both businesses and residents within the city centre.
With Soroti’s attainment of city status, land speculation has intensified, as owners anticipate future development. Civil engineer Samson Okedi cautions that this rapid price increase, especially in unplanned areas, could lead to future disputes, litigation, or costly displacement if city planning regulations are enforced. “The worry now is, in the event that a clear city plan is secured … there is likelihood of litigation or hefty compensation or even displacements without proper compensation,” he stated.