The Government of Uganda has allocated Sh6 billion in the current financial year to launch a nationwide programme aimed at identifying, surveying, titling and digitally registering all government-owned land. The initiative seeks to protect public property from widespread encroachment, fraudulent ownership claims and costly land disputes.
The comprehensive exercise is expected to cost Sh100 billion and will be implemented over the next five years, although progress will depend on the availability of funding.
According to the Uganda Land Commission (ULC), government land accounts for approximately 23% of Uganda’s total land area, yet only 26.16% has been formally titled. This leaves nearly 74% of public land—including schools, hospitals, roads, forests, wetlands, police stations and other government facilities—without legal documentation, making it vulnerable to illegal occupation and ownership conflicts.
ULC Secretary Andrew Nyumba said the programme will begin in cities, municipalities and other urban centres where public land is under the greatest pressure from rapid urbanisation and encroachment.
Beyond issuing land titles, the exercise will create a comprehensive inventory of all government-owned land. The database will capture each property’s location, size, value, current use, legal status, level of development and the extent of any encroachment or disputes.
Nyumba noted that the initiative is designed to curb fraudulent land transactions, reduce ownership conflicts and strengthen the protection of public assets. He acknowledged that previous efforts were slowed by inadequate funding, limited public awareness of land laws and resistance from some communities. However, he said the renewed programme reflects stronger political commitment to safeguarding government property.
State Minister for Lands Harriet Ntabazi explained that many government institutions occupy land acquired decades ago through community donations, compulsory acquisition or administrative allocations before modern land registration systems existed. As a result, many properties were never formally surveyed or titled, leaving unclear boundaries that have contributed to encroachment and prolonged court battles.
She said the government has spent significant resources defending ownership claims, paying compensation and resolving legal disputes that could have been prevented through proper land documentation.
The planned Comprehensive Government Land Inventory will establish, for the first time, a verified national database of all public land. Every parcel will be surveyed, legally verified and digitally mapped before being integrated into the National Land Information System.
The inventory will record each property’s location, size, legal status, occupancy, level of development and whether it faces encroachment, disputes or other risks. The information will also support national planning in key sectors such as infrastructure, education, healthcare, security, environmental conservation and investment.
Ntabazi emphasized that the programme will not involve compulsory acquisition of private land or interfere with legally owned private property. Instead, it is intended solely to identify, document and protect land that already belongs to the government or is held in trust for the people of Uganda.
Implementation will begin with government institutions compiling existing land records, followed by field verification conducted by multidisciplinary teams of surveyors, land officers and physical planners. Local leaders, neighbouring landowners and community representatives will also participate in verifying historical land information to improve accuracy and minimise disputes.
The programme will be coordinated by the Uganda Land Commission in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, district land offices, local governments and other ministries, departments and agencies, all of which will be required to identify and account for land under their control.
