Uganda Cracks Down on Bribery in Special Land Title Applications

Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Judith Nabakooba, has sounded an alarm regarding alleged bribery of Local Council One (LC1) chairpersons by individuals seeking to expedite special land title applications. This practice, she stated, undermines the integrity of the land registration process.

In response, the ministry has revised its guidelines for processing these applications. A key change involves ministry officers directly soliciting verification reports from LC1 chairpersons and their committees, rather than relying on reports submitted by the applicants themselves. This is intended to prevent applicants from influencing the local verification process or submitting misleading information.

“The committee letter will be got by the officers, not the applicants. The officers, when they are doing their work, have to ask the LC1 and his committee to make a report of their findings,” explained Minister Nabakooba.

Further strengthening the process, ministry officers will now conduct on-site visits to verify that the information provided in the application matches the actual situation on the ground. Additionally, the ministry will utilize government surveyors for verification, moving away from exclusive reliance on private survey services. This shift aims to enhance accountability, enabling the ministry to hold public officers responsible for any discrepancies in their reports.

“People have to be held accountable for their actions. If you go on the ground and you are a district staff surveyor or a Ministry of Lands surveyor, and you give a report contrary to what is on the ground, we can hold you accountable,” Nabakooba asserted.

These revised guidelines are part of a broader effort to improve due diligence before special certificates of title are issued, particularly in cases where original titles are lost or damaged. The ministry also plans to implement ground investigations, public notices, and wider stakeholder consultations as it works to formalize these changes into regulations under the Registration of Titles Act, ensuring transparency and fairness for all parties with an interest in the land.

This information was reported by Nile Post.