Lands ministry introduces tougher checks as special title issuance resumes.

21 October 2026, 10:04 am

By Ronald Ssemagonja

The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development has lifted the suspension on issuing special certificates of title, which was imposed in August this year following public outcry over alleged land fraud.

The announcement was made by the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Judith Nabakooba, during a media briefing at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala yesterday, where she outlined new measures aimed at curbing land fraud and protecting legitimate property owners.

Nabakooba said the ministry was introducing stricter verification procedures and a mandatory 30-day public notice period before special certificates of title could be issued.

Under the new guidelines, notices of applications must be published in the Uganda Gazette for at least 30 days. They must also be displayed at the relevant sub-county offices, on the LC1 noticeboard and on the land in question.

The minister noted that the Registration of Titles Act, which provides for the issuance of special certificates of title, was enacted in 1924 and needed to be implemented in a manner that addresses current challenges in land administration.

“By the time the law was made, things could have been better. The fraudsters, the brokers and the buyers were not there during those days,” she said.

Section 69 of the Registration of Titles Act provides for the issuance of a special certificate of title when the original duplicate certificate has been lost, destroyed or damaged to the extent that it is no longer usable. The law requires the registrar to establish that the applicant’s statutory declaration is truthful and that the transaction is genuine.

Under the revised procedures, applicants will be required to submit a report from the LC1 committee and an inspection or boundary-opening report.

In cases involving lost or destroyed titles, applicants must also present a police report confirming that the loss was reported, alongside the required LC1 committee report, inspection or boundary-opening report, Gazette notice, newspaper advertisement and local notices at the relevant sub-county and LC1 levels.

Applications seeking the implementation of court orders will require a formal request letter and a certified copy of the court decision. Applications submitted by administrators or executors of deceased persons’ estates must also include documents proving their legal authority to act.

Nabakooba encouraged members of the public with complaints or concerns about previously issued certificates of title to petition the ministry for investigations and appropriate action.

However, she acknowledged that reviewing all previously issued certificates against the new guidelines would be difficult.

“It might be very difficult for us to recall all the certificates that were made and put them to the test against the guidelines which we have put in place,” she said.

Among the properties mentioned during the briefing were parcels of land in Kyadondo, Mawokota, Kyaggwe, Busiro and Mukwano Road in Lira, as well as Busiro Block 8, Plot 68, at Champeesi in Namayumba.

The minister said some individuals exploit legal procedures to obtain new certificates of title even when legitimate ownership records already exist, highlighting the need for stricter verification and public scrutiny.