Lands Ministry Defends Halt on Special Land Titles as Safeguard for Owners

What the report says

Uganda’s Ministry of Lands has defended its temporary halt on special certificates of title, saying the pause is meant to examine reported irregularities, protect legitimate landowners and tighten safeguards against fraud in land registration. The ministry’s position was outlined in a memorandum dated October 6, 2026, after it met Parliament’s Committee on Lands.

According to the ministry, special certificates are issued when an original land title is lost, destroyed or badly damaged, but it said some required steps have not always been followed consistently. Those gaps, it argued, have contributed to mistaken or improper issuance of replacement titles. The ministry told lawmakers that the temporary stop is an administrative measure to review those weaknesses rather than a removal of the commissioner’s legal powers.

The ministry also said the decision was made under the minister’s oversight role and followed consultations and evidence review. It pointed to earlier pauses in similar processes during the transition to the Land Information System and during the COVID-19 period as examples of precedent.

Beyond the immediate review, the ministry said the episode underscores the need to update the Registration of Titles Act and related laws. It said it is preparing reform proposals for Cabinet before any bill is brought to Parliament, and it plans to keep engaging the committee as it prepares a fuller report on special title issuance and related controls.