Published on 02/09/2025
The enactment of the Uganda Land Commission Bill will allow the entity fully to implement its mandate, officials from the Uganda Land Commission (ULC) have told Members of Parliament.
Walter Pade, the ULC Principal Planning Officer made the peach while appearing before the Committee on Lands on Tuesday, 02 September 2025.
Pade said that once this law is enacted, it will define the commission’s autonomy, address the funding gaps and staffing to align with other Constitutional Commissions.
“We urge the committee to support the commission to fast-track the enactment of the ULC Bill,” he said.
Adding, “We also call for increasing of the ULC budget to support the development of a government land inventory, the construction of ULC home and creation of a land bank for the commission.”
Committee chairperson, Hon. Gyaviira Ssemwanga and his deputy, Hon. Andrew Ojok, pledged to support the process leading to the enactment of the law.
“It is currently with the First Parliamentary Counsel, but once it comes to the committee, we shall dispose it off,” said Ojok.
Pade also revealed that they were grappling with arrears of over Shs500 billion for compensation of absentee landlords, countrywide and disaggregated the arrears by regions, with Buganda Region demanding the largest chunk of over Shs291 billion and Bugisu demanding the government over Shs79 billion.
Other regions are; Bunyoro demanding over Shs41 billion, Ankole demands over Shs38 billion and Tooro over Shs3 billion.
“We were able to acquire over 2,000 hectares of land through compensation to absentee landlords for securing lawful and bonafide occupants in Buganda, Bunyoro, Ankole and Tooro. We have been able to fully pay over 99,000 hectares,” he said.
The Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Hon. Judith Nabakooba, also underscored the need to inject more funds into ULC, saying that land is available, but funds are limited.
“Money cannot supply the demand – landlords are willing to sell but ULC has no money for compensation,” she said.
Hon. Juliet Kinyamatama (Indep., Rakai District Woman Representative) urged the committee to advocate for ULC’s adequate budgetary allocation but called for transparency during compensations.
Relatedly, Hon. Charles Tebandeke (NUP, Bbale County) raised concern over a recent government decision to lease part of Nakivubo land, in Kampala city to businessman, Hamis Kiggundu.
Kiggundu was given a lease to redevelop the Nakivubo channel and Tebandeke tasked the lands minister to explain the circumstances under which the land was leased.
“I would wish to be updated whether Uganda Land Commission is responsible for the Nakivubo Channel and who is giving out the title since it is a government channel. Under what circumstance can government transfer land to a private individual?” he asked.
Minister Nabakooba said she would consult with Kampala Capital City Authority and the Ministry of Water and Environment as key stakeholders in the said land.
