MEDIA FOR CHANGE NETWORK

Govt launches Central Account for Busuulu to protect tenants from evictions

Published

1 year ago

June 21, 2025

In a bid to shield lawful tenants from arbitrary evictions and resolve long-standing land conflicts, Lands Minister Judith Nabakooba has announced the establishment of a centralized government account where tenants can deposit nominal ground rent, locally known as busuulu.

The move, she said, is a direct response to complaints raised by tenants during President Yoweri Museveni’s recent tour of the Buganda region, where multiple communities voiced frustration over landlords who are either absent, untraceable, or outright refuse to accept rent payments.

Speaking to the press on Saturday, Nabakooba said the government account now offers tenants a legal channel to fulfill their obligations—effectively eliminating the loophole used by some landlords to accuse tenants of non-payment and justify evictions.

“Government remains committed to securing the rights of bibanja holders through lawful means,” Nabakooba said. “The public should not be misled by political messages that discourage participation in these programs.”

She stressed that lawful and bona fide occupants, commonly referred to as bibanja holders, are protected under Uganda’s Constitution and Land Act, and cannot be legally evicted as long as they pay their annual ground rent.

New Legal Backing and Clear Fee Structure

The new system is backed by an amendment to Statutory Instrument No. 55 of 2011, now updated as Statutory Instrument No. 2 of 2025, which outlines the fixed ground rent rates tenants must pay based on location:

Cities – Shs 50,000
Municipalities – Shs 40,000
Town Councils – Shs 30,000
Town Boards – Shs 20,000
Rural Areas – Shs 5,000

Nabakooba clarified that these rates are standardized and non-negotiable, emphasizing that busuulu is not subject to arbitrary pricing by landlords. The fees have remained unchanged since their introduction in 2011.

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Certificates of Occupancy and Digital Access

To strengthen tenant security and provide legal recognition, the minister encouraged bibanja holders to apply for Certificates of Occupancy, documents that officially confirm their right to occupy and use the land.

So far, the ministry has mapped more than 96,000 bibanja across several districts, and over 500 certificates have already been issued in Mubende, Mityana, Kassanda, Kiboga, and Gomba.

“This effort is not just about securing tenure,” Nabakooba noted. “It’s about giving rural tenants the confidence to invest, farm, and participate meaningfully in the market economy.”

To enhance transparency and public access, the Ministry of Lands has also launched an online portal and mobile app, where tenants can:

Verify the status of their Certificate of Occupancy
Check the identity and details of the registered landowner
Confirm whether the land they occupy is formally registered

The digital system is part of a broader government strategy to curb land fraud, prevent illegal sales, and guard against evictions—especially in cases where land is sold without the knowledge of long-standing tenants.

Bridging the Landlord-Tenant Divide

Nabakooba also called on landlords to work with government efforts rather than resist them. She acknowledged the strained relationship between landlords and tenants in many parts of Uganda but urged both parties to see these reforms as a path toward harmony and fairness.

“This is not about taking land away from landlords,” she explained. “It is about creating a transparent system where both landlords and tenants benefit, and land-related violence is minimized.”

The centralized busuulu collection initiative aims to deter unscrupulous evictions, encourage documentation of land relationships, and reduce tensions—particularly with newer landlords unfamiliar with traditional land use agreements.

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As land remains a sensitive and politically charged issue in Uganda, especially in the Buganda region, government efforts like this one are seen as key to reducing conflict and promoting economic security for millions of rural families.

The Ministry says more sensitization campaigns will follow to help both tenants and landlords understand the new system, how to access the digital platforms, and the legal safeguards now in place.

Source: pressug.com

MEDIA FOR CHANGE NETWORK

Mpigi Land Committee Seeks Cancellation Of Titles On Buyala Waste Site

Published

5 hours ago

September 21, 2026

witnessradio.org

The Mpigi District Land Committee has recommended the cancellation of three land titles issued on a 230-acre piece of land in Buyala, which the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) had acquired for waste disposal.

The committee’s recommendation follows investigations indicating that the disputed land formed part of the Buvuma Forest Central Reserve, which was reportedly gazetted as a forest reserve in 1945.

The investigation found that three titles were issued to private individuals in 2015 by officials of the Mpigi District Land Board.

The individuals later reportedly sold the land to another buyer in 2025, who subsequently sold it to KCCA for use as a waste disposal site.

Charles Tomusange Ssebuggwawo, the chairperson of the Mpigi District Land Committee, said the committee had written to the Commissioner for Land Registration at the Ministry of Lands seeking clarification and action on the titles.

“We have written to the Commissioner for Land Registration regarding the land in Buyala and the titles that were issued on it,” Ssebuggwawo said.

KCCA acquired the land as it searched for an alternative waste disposal site following the collapse of the Kiteezi landfill in July 2024.

The disaster occurred when a massive garbage heap collapsed and swept into neighbouring homes, killing more than 30 people.

However, the proposed use of the Buyala land was halted by President Museveni, who raised concerns about disposing of garbage near Namwabula village in Nsujjumpolwe Parish, Kiringente Sub-county, where the government is developing a major fuel storage facility.

The proposed facility is expected to have a storage capacity of about 320 million litres, making it one of the largest fuel storage facilities in Uganda.

The land dispute comes as KCCA continues efforts to secure a permanent alternative to Kiteezi landfill, whose collapse heightened concerns over waste management and public safety in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area.

MEDIA FOR CHANGE NETWORK

How land divisions are fueling Wakiso’s slums

Published

14 hours ago

September 21, 2026

witnessradio.org

The rapid transformation of Wakiso District from a largely rural setting to an urban extension of Kampala City has caused an emergence and expansion of informal settlements.
Across the district, rising demand for affordable land, population growth, rural-urban migration and increasing land values are pushing residents into densely populated neighbourhoods, where planning, access roads, drainage and housing standards are inadequate.
Ms Ruth Nakatudde, the Wakiso District principal physical planner, says the growth of informal settlements is being driven by demographic and economic pressures, with land fragmentation emerging as one of the major contributors.

“Everyone is looking for an affordable plot of land for settlement. They want to stay near Kampala, probably where they are employed or operating their businesses,” she explains.
Wakiso’s close proximity to Kampala has made it particularly attractive to people who work in the capital, but cannot afford to live there.
Ms Nakatudde says Wakiso Sub-county, one of the 17 sub-counties in the district, is among the fastest-growing areas because of its closeness to Kampala.
“People choose to stay here (in Wakiso) because they want to reduce transportation costs,” she says.

Source: monitor.co.ug

MEDIA FOR CHANGE NETWORK

One killed, another injured as residents resist arrest over disputed Wakiso land

Published

14 hours ago

September 21, 2026

witnessradio.org

One person was on Thursday shot dead and another injured after police opened fire to quell a group of rowdy residents who attempted to resist the arrest of a colleague following a dispute of land in Kataluko Village, Lukwanga, Wakiso District.

The deceased, identified as Joseph Ssenyondo, 40, a bricklayer, died while being rushed to St Joseph Hospital for treatment after being hit by a bullet from armed police officers who were deployed at the scene.

Eyewitnesses say Ssenyondo, who was randomly passing by the scene, was pronounced dead on arrival at the health facility, while Jacob Nsubuga Wasswa remains admitted at Mulago National Referral Hospital.

The officers from Bukasa Police Station had gone to the area with the intent to arrest one of the residents accused of assault over a land-related conflict when the residents tried to remove him from them, prompting the violent retaliation.

“The issue is about land. Someone had been arrested, and he cried for help, so we, the residents, came to rescue him. When police officers at the scene saw us, they fired three bullets; one hit the Ssenyondo, another injured one person, while the third did not hit anyone,” an eyewitness said.

Residents accused Mr Ssebanakitta of fueling land conflicts in the area through unscrupulous dealings, something he adamantly rejected.

He instead explained that the piece of land in question had been sold and that the buyer had started using the property before a group of people allegedly assaulted him, took his money and mobile phone, prompting him to report the matter to police.

“The owner had started using his place, but they came, assaulted him, and took his money and phone. He went to the police and reported the matter. They had now been traced so they could go and make statements,” Mr Ssebanakitta, a land dealer in the area, said.

Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, Ms Racheal Kawala, confirmed the shooting and said investigations had started.

She explained police officers had gone to the area following a complaint related to a land dispute, but a confrontation with some residents erupted at the scene.

“We have started investigating the fracas that occurred in Lukwanga, which is related to land,” Ms Kawala said.

She added that police officers were at the scene when the confrontation broke out and that they fired shots to disperse the crowd.
“In the process of dispersing the crowd, our officers fired the bullet that accidentally hit a resident,” she said.

Ms Kawala said the police officer responsible for the shooting would be arrested as investigations continue.

The incident adds to a growing record of violence and confrontations linked to land disputes in Wakiso and other parts of the country.

In February this year, Tom Kato, a resident of Kibujjo-Seeta in Bembe Parish, Namayumba Sub-county, Wakiso District, was killed by unknown people in circumstances linked to a family land dispute. Police arrested his wife as investigations continued, but the family has yet to get justice.

In another incident, a resident of Buwanuka village in Namayumba Sub-county accused police and local leaders of conniving with a land surveyor in a dispute involving more than 1,000 residents on a contested 1,044.9-acre piece of land.

Source: monitor.co.ug

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