There are mixed reactions among leaders and residents in Luwero District over new guidelines issued by the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development to streamline the management and resolution of land disputes across Uganda.
The guidelines were issued last week by the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Judith Nabakooba, in a bid to bring greater order, coordination and accountability to the handling of land conflicts.
Under Circular No. 1 of 2026, government officials, security officers, surveyors and private actors are prohibited from intervening in land disputes unless their actions are part of a lawful, coordinated and fully documented process.
The guidelines also prohibit the uncoordinated deployment of security personnel to influence possession or ownership of disputed land. However, Minister Nabakooba clarified that police and other competent agencies will continue to intervene where necessary to protect lives and property, prevent violence and preserve evidence.
The new guidelines further require prior written approval from the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and formal clearance from the district or city security committee before any non-court site visit involving disputed land is conducted.
The government also seeks to curb corruption and what it describes as “forum shopping,” the practice of taking the same dispute to several government offices in search of a favourable decision. Under the guidelines, complainants and government officials are required to follow established referral channels.
The Ministry says it will establish a dedicated land-dispute resolution desk to receive and coordinate eligible complaints, prevent duplication and refer cases to the appropriate government agencies. But the new measures have generated debate in Luwero, a district that continues to experience persistent land conflicts.
Luwero recorded 121 cases of criminal trespass and 153 cases of malicious damage, placing it third among districts with the highest number of such cases.
Samuel Kasoma, a resident of Kasaala Village, welcomed the provisions aimed at improving coordination and restricting the involvement of security officers in land disputes. Kasoma said the measures could help curb unlawful evictions if they are effectively enforced.
However, he and other residents disagreed with the Minister’s position on “forum shopping”, arguing that some victims are forced to approach several government offices after failing to obtain justice from individual authorities.
Kasoma alleged that some government officials have been compromised by land grabbers, leaving tenants and other victims with no option but to seek assistance from different government offices.
He warned that restricting people from pursuing justice through multiple avenues could undermine their right to seek redress when they believe justice has not been served at one level.
Henry Nyanzi, another victim of a land dispute involving his four-acre piece of land in Sekabusolo Village, Luwero Sub-county, said he was forced to report the same case to several offices after failing to obtain justice from LC1 leaders and the police.
Sulaiman Lubega, a resident of Kabaloge Village in Kikyusa Sub-county and another land conflict victim, said the government should take into account the desperation of people who have lost their land and are seeking justice.
Luwero District Chairperson Erastus Kibirango said that although he does not support the practice of “forum shopping”, the central government should also take responsibility for creating multiple land-related offices, which he said have left members of the public confused about where to seek assistance.
Kibirango welcomed the proposal to establish a dedicated land-dispute desk at the Ministry of Lands, saying it could help coordinate complaints and refer them to the appropriate authorities. However, he cautioned that the proposed desk could also be compromised by land grabbers, just like other government agencies.
Kibirango said similar guidelines have previously existed but were not effectively enforced because of abuse of office and corruption.
Luwero Resident District Commissioner Mariam Nalubega Sseguya said the new guidelines are necessary and will be implemented by her office. Nalubega criticised tenants who report the same disputes to multiple government offices, saying the practice creates confusion and exposes victims to conmen and fake brokers.
Minister Nabakooba said the circular was necessary to address the growing challenges associated with land disputes, which she said have contributed to violence, loss of property, insecurity, disrupted investments and an unnecessary backlog of cases in courts and law-enforcement agencies.
The Ministry says the new guidelines are intended to ensure that land disputes are handled through clear, coordinated and accountable procedures while preserving the right of security agencies to intervene where there is a threat to life, property or public order-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
