Government launches National Inventory to protect public land

8 July 2026, 9:34 am

By Ronald Ssemagonja

The State Minister for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Harriet Ntabazi, has warned illegal occupants of government land to vacate as the government launches a national inventory of all public land.

Speaking at a national stakeholders’ workshop on the development of a comprehensive government land inventory in Kampala, held under the theme, “Towards a Comprehensive Land Inventory for Sustainable Land Governance and National Development,” Ntabazi said the era of unchecked encroachment on government land is coming to an end.

She warned that no one, regardless of their position or status, will be spared if they are illegally occupying public land.

“To those occupying government land without authority, your time is up. If you work in the Ministry of Lands and are illegally occupying government land, start packing. Regardless of your position or status, you must vacate,” she said.

Ntabazi described government land as a strategic national asset that is increasingly threatened by encroachment, fraud and poor record-keeping. She said the inventory will establish a reliable database to safeguard public property and support national development.

She noted that public land accommodates critical infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, military installations, conservation areas, research centres, universities and industrial parks, making its protection essential for service delivery and Uganda’s socio-economic transformation.

According to the minister, only 23 percent of government-owned land has been formally titled, leaving most of it vulnerable to illegal occupation and fraudulent ownership claims.

She added that the country lacks a centralised inventory of government land, with many records being incomplete, inaccessible or missing altogether.

Chairperson of the Uganda Land Commission, Prof. Jack Mogi Nyeko, said the inventory will help government monitor how public land is being utilised and ensure idle land contributes to economic growth.

He explained that many investors seeking land in Uganda often struggle to access suitable government land because there is no comprehensive record of what is available. He said the inventory will help identify idle public land that can be allocated to investors.

The Uganda Land Commission, established under Article 238 of the 1995 Constitution, is mandated to hold and manage land vested in or acquired by the Government of Uganda.

The workshop attracted stakeholders from several institutions, including the Ministry of Defence, State House and representatives from the real estate sector.