Minister of Lands, Judith Nabakooba, has been honored with a prestigious accolade at the Pan-African American Leadership Awards (PAALA), an event organized by the African Women in Leadership Organization (AWLO).
The awards ceremony, held on October 13, 2025, in Houston Texas, celebrated distinguished leaders of African descent who have made significant contributions to their communities and industries.
The Minister was recognized with a prestigious award from the Pan-African American Leadership Award (PAALA) ceremony, organized by the African Women in Leadership Organization (AWLO), for her outstanding leadership, steadfast commitment to justice, and tireless advocacy for the rights of all Ugandans.
She was celebrated as a “Voice for the Voiceless” in Uganda’s land sector an acknowledgment of her pivotal role in promoting dignity, equity, and reform in land administration.
During the recent awards gala, outstanding leaders of African descent were honored for their remarkable contributions to communities and industries. In recognition of her achievements and unwavering dedication to justice and dignity for all Ugandans, Nabakooba was recognized as a true Voice for the Voiceless in Uganda’s Land Sector.
According to the statement from the organizers, in Uganda, the land sector has long faced challenges of inequity, exploitation, and exclusion but in the midst of these challenges, there are leaders whose voices rise above the noise, stand firm to protect the rights of the vulnerable, and champion justice, transparency, and accountability.
“Tonight, we honour one such leader. A woman whose leadership has transformed the way government engages with ordinary citizens on land matters. A woman who has tirelessly worked to give a voice to those who had been silenced for too long. In recognition of her outstanding leadership, integrity, and tireless commitment to protecting the rights of Uganda’s citizens, Minister Nabakooba has emerged as a powerful and consistent Voice for the Voiceless in the land sector,” the statement reads.
It also explained that as minister of Lands, she has spearheaded transformative initiatives aimed at addressing long standing injustices, promoting equitable land governance, and ensuring that marginalized communities are heard and protected.
Commenting about her recognition, Minister Nabakooba expressed her gratitude and pledged to do more of what she has been doing to transform the lives of the different vulnerable groups.
“I am indeed honoured to have this award being represented to me. It is a gesture of serving humanity and I feel more energized when I return home to do more than what I have been doing to serve humanity especially vulnerable groups,” she said.
Nabakooba has also demonstrated exceptional courage and empathy in confronting systemic challenges in land administration including land grabbing, corruption, and exploitation of vulnerable groups.
She has actively engaged with local leaders, cultural institutions, women, youth, and civil society to build trust and collaborative solutions to complex land issues. Her efforts have helped curb illegal evictions, protect lawful landowners, and uphold the constitutional rights of Ugandans, especially the poor and voiceless.
For example, she has initiated an innovative online land management system that by passes middlemen and women in land transactions by giving power to land owners and buyers to initiate land transactions, verifying authenticity of ownership and closing sales, helping households have their land surveyed and received documented land titles as proof of ownership.
Nabakooba also serves in other regional spaces, she is the Chairperson of the Housing and Urbanization Sub-Committee under the African Union’s Specialized Technical Committee on Public Service, Local Government, Urban Development, and Decentralization.”