By Witness Radio team.

Kampala, Uganda – The commissioner of Land Registration from Uganda’s Ministry of Lands Housing and Urban Development, Mr. Baker Mugaino, has been arrested and charged before the Anti-Corruption Court, Witness Radio has learned.

Mugaino was arrested by officers from the Office of the Inspectorate of Government (IG) on Wednesday, June 4th, and arraigned before the Anti-Corruption Court, where he was charged with corruption and abuse of office. He pleaded not guilty before Chief Magistrate Rachael Nakyaze.

This development confirms findings from numerous reports and investigations by Witness Radio, a leading watchdog for land and environmental rights in Uganda. Witness Radio, through its extensive research and investigative work, has been at the forefront of uncovering systemic corruption and the misuse of authority, particularly within Uganda’s land administration institutions, which continue to fuel land-related injustices, especially against vulnerable and impoverished communities.

The arrest comes at a critical time when the country is experiencing a surge in land grabs, many of which are tied to fraudulent land dealings, title cancellations, double titling, and land transfers facilitated by compromised officials. This is an urgent situation that demands immediate attention and action.

In one of its reports released in 2024, focusing on forced evictions and emerging trends in Uganda, Witness Radio called on the Government of Uganda to address rampant corruption and abuse of power by those in authority, particularly in land registries, the Uganda Police Force, and the army combined with favoritism towards the wealthy at the expense of the poor. This call for government accountability is crucial to ensure transparency and fairness in land administration.

According to the prosecution, Mugaino, in his role as the commissioner of land registration at the Ministry of Lands, unlawfully canceled land titles on April 8 and 20, 2024, which had previously been issued to Tropical Bank Ltd, Akugizibwe Gerald Mugera, and Namayiba Park Hotel. This action, if proven, could have severe financial and social implications for these entities, potentially leading to significant losses and disruptions.

In addition, Mugaino failed to perform his duties as provided for in Section 85 of the Land Act, Cap 236, and his duties as Commissioner of Land Registration.

The center of contention arises from the land located at Kibuga Block 12, Plots 658, 659, and 665 in Kisenyi; Kibuga Block 4, Plot 152 in Namirembe; and Kyadondo Block 244, Plot 2506, in Uganda’s capital Kampala. These are prime locations that have been subject to numerous land disputes, making Mugaino’s actions particularly significant.

Under Section 87 of the Penal Code Cap 120, Mugaino will face imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years if convicted and dismissed from public service.

Witness Radio commends the government for taking action against one of its own, recognizing it as a necessary and hopeful step toward addressing the root causes of land evictions and fraudulent land dealings.

Speaking in response to the recent arrest of the Commissioner for Land Registration, Witness Radio’s Team leader, Jeff Wokulira Ssebaggala, emphasized that most land grabs, illegal evictions, and fraudulent land dealings are orchestrated from within government offices by individuals entrusted with public authority.

“It is time for the government to prosecute its own, those whose continued abuse and misuse of public office have directly fueled widespread land injustices.” Mr. Ssebaggala added.

By Witness Radio team.

Kiryandongo, Uganda—Communities across Uganda are currently in the midst of a pressing and severe crisis due to the impacts of land-based investments. These include forced evictions, lack of consultation, and concealed project information. These injustices persist due to a widespread lack of legal awareness and limited access to justice among affected communities.

As Uganda enters the general election period, more farming communities’ land will continue to be forcibly taken from them by multinationals and individual investors, and the number of community land rights and environmental defenders will likely increase. This is because citizen’s liberty is at stake during electoral periods and all justice institutions quite often prioritize electoral justice during this period. Besides, perpetrators of forceful land evictions may use merits of electoral violence to criminalize land and environmental rights defenders in order to silence their activism.  Community land rights and environmental defenders work to protect the rights of communities to their land and natural resources. Witness Radio has documented and provided legal representation to dozens of them whose work has been criminalized by wealthy individuals and multinationals.

“We are often evicted from our land without prior consultation, compensation, or meaningful resettlement,” said Benon Beryaija, a community representative from Kiryandongo district. “The evictors tell us they have ultimate power over our land and that we have no right to resist. These evictions happen without following the law.”

Beryaija is among the thousands of people in Kiryandongo whose land was grabbed by a group of multinationals without compensation or resettlement. According to Witness Radio, Agilis Partners Limited is among the multinational companies alongside Kiryandongo Sugar Limited and Great Seasons SMC Limited that have forcibly displaced over 35,000 people to pave the way for large-scale agricultural operations since 2017.

“But all this violence continues because we are ignorant about the law,” Beryaija added. “We don’t know what to do, what to ask for, or how to demand accountability. The companies use this gap to take advantage.”

To address this critical gap in legal knowledge, Witness Radio Uganda, in collaboration with the European Union, Dan Church Aid (DCA), and the National Coalition for Human Rights Defenders in Uganda (NCHRD-U), conducted the first-ever paralegal training for selected community activists against irresponsible Land-Based Investments (LBIs) and Land and Environmental Defenders (LEDs) in the Midwestern Subregion of Uganda. This initiative aims to equip grassroots defenders with basic legal tools to resist human rights violations and abuses as well as land injustices and environmental destruction and to advocate for their communities, instilling a sense of empowerment and hope.

“Community defenders are at the forefront of the fight for land rights and environmental justice and should provide that first-hand legal support, but they often lack the tools to engage with legal systems or resolve disputes effectively. We are currently emphasizing the importance of equipping communities with legal knowledge on land and environmental rights, a clear understanding of what to do when a defender is arbitrarily arrested and detained or disappears, what to do when an investor comes to communities’ land, how to effectively to document human rights violations/abuse, and practical ways to speak to power and hold perpetrators to account for their deeds,” said Mrs. Bulyerali Joan, Witness Radio’s Head of Community Empowerment.

The three-day training, held last week from May 19th to 21st in Uganda’s mid-western region, brought together 20 participants from eviction-prone districts, including Kiryandongo, Hoima, Masindi, Kibale, Kagadi, and Buliisa. This training, which covered key topics, was a significant step in the fight against land evictions, as highlighted in a 2024 Witness Radio report on land evictions. The report, based on extensive research and interviews with affected communities, revealed the alarming rate of land evictions and the urgent need for legal empowerment among these communities.

The training covered key topics, including understanding the criminal justice system and how it operates, how to represent others and oneself in interactions with the police or in court, understanding land and environmental rights, documenting violations, legal processes for seeking redress, community mediation techniques, and how to demand accountability from perpetrators.

“Our goal is to empower them with the legal knowledge necessary to act as first responders in their communities, especially during this upcoming general election, to stop arbitrary arrests and detention, empower communities to push back illegal land evictions, and guide others even without the immediate presence of lawyers or our organization.” Ms. Buryelari added, underlining the crucial role of the paralegals in the upcoming elections.

Oyungi Jovia, one of the Land and Environmental Defenders (LEDs) who participated in the training, described it as impactful and an eye-opener, particularly in addressing pressing community concerns and understanding their role in mitigating harm. The training has not only equipped her with the necessary legal knowledge but also boosted her confidence in supporting those who seek her help.

“We didn’t know the legal processes to follow. Now we know where to start, what documents are required, and how to collect and present evidence in land-related cases,” she shared. “I have learned how to guide community members in legal matters, and now more confident in my ability to support those who come to me for help.”

Before the training, Jovia admitted that she and others often struggled to respond to community concerns due to their limited understanding of the law. “People would come to us for advice, but we barely knew what to tell them. This training has changed everything.” She added.

As land-based conflicts continue to rise in Uganda, particularly in regions targeted by large-scale agribusiness projects, Witness Radio’s paralegal initiative represents a significant step toward community-led access to justice and legal empowerment.

“We are building a network of informed grassroots leaders,” Mrs. Bulyerali emphasized, “who can defend their peers, community land rights, document violations, and help others seek justice, even in the absence of Witness Radio.”