MPs recover hundreds of land files hidden near Mukono land office

What the report says

Parliament’s Lands Committee has ordered a police investigation after finding hundreds of land files and titles that were allegedly kept outside the Mukono Zonal Land Office, including in nearby shops and vehicle boots. The inspection, led by committee chair Edison Rugumayo, was part of an inquiry into reported land fraud, slow processing of titles and other irregularities affecting transactions in Mukono District.

According to the Nile Post report, lawmakers examined records and questioned staff at the office as part of a broader check on alleged forged or questionable land titles. The committee also raised concerns about titles said to involve wetlands, central forest reserves, Mabira Forest and the government-owned Njeru Stock Farm. Officials were asked to produce transaction trails, original documents and maps linked to the disputed records.

The report says three staff members denied moving the files, but lawmakers later recovered the documents with police support. Some officials reportedly said they had been told to keep the files outside the office by a supervisor. The committee also questioned the office’s security arrangements and said responsibility for keys had been left with a private guard.

The oversight visit also drew complaints from members of the public about long delays and alleged losses linked to land records. Rugumayo directed police to investigate how the files were removed and stored, and ordered the Mukono land office to submit a report on disputed titles and staff complaints within one week. The developments matter because they point to possible weaknesses in land administration and public trust in title processing, issues that commonly draw scrutiny in Uganda’s land sector.