MPs Push for Urgent Reforms to Stop Fraudulent Land Titling and Double Registration

Lawmakers in Uganda are calling for immediate institutional and legal reforms to combat fraudulent land titling, double registration, and costly administrative blunders within the Ministry of Lands. These recommendations follow a comprehensive oversight assessment conducted by the Committee on Lands across several ministry zonal offices, including Mukono, Wakiso, Masaka, Jinja, Mbale, and Soroti.

While presenting the committee’s findings, Chairperson Hon. Edson Rugumayo highlighted that many instances of overlapping titles stem from a lack of due diligence by land officers. The report pointed to a landmark legal case involving Henley Property Developers Limited, where the Supreme Court ordered the government to pay Shs50 billion in compensation following a grave administrative error that resulted in double registration.

To prevent similar financial losses, legislators proposed amending Section 159 of the Registration of Titles Act. Lawmakers like Hon. Boniface Okot argued that culpable land officers should personally bear the financial burden of their mistakes, rather than leaving taxpayers to foot the bill for wrongful compensation payouts.

MPs also emphasized the need to fully operationalize the National Land Information System (NLIS) and eliminate remaining manual operations. Additionally, lawmakers suggested involving local council leaders and immediate neighbors during site visits and boundary openings to verify authenticity before issuing certificates of title.

Addressing the recent ministerial suspension of Special Certificates of Title, the committee noted that the blanket directive lacked sufficient justification and negatively impacted genuine applicants, credit access, and government revenue. Meanwhile, Speaker Jacob Marksons Oboth directed the ministry to offer permanent employment to contract-based land officers to foster greater accountability and integrity.

Read the full details of the parliamentary report at the Parliament of Uganda Source URL.