The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and Uganda Land Commission have embarked on the exercise of developing a Comprehensive Government Land Inventory (GLI), a national programme that will fundamentally transform the way Government identifies, documents, secures and manages Government land across the Country.
This initiative is not simply about land registration but it is about protecting the assets that belong to the people of Uganda.It is about ensuring that the land on which our schools, hospitals, roads, administrative offices, security installations and other public institutions stand is properly identified, legally protected and preserved for present and future generation.
Over years,government has invested substantial public resources in infrastructure and public services however, these investments can only be fully protected where the land on which they are situated is properly documented and legally secured. Unfortunately, that has not always been the case.
Many Government institutions continue to occupy land that has never been formally surveyed or registered. In some instances, Government land has been encroached upon, fraudulently titled or subjected to competing ownership claims. These challenges have resulted in disputes, delays in implementation of public projects and unnecessary expenditure on litigation and compensation,”she stressed.
Land remains Uganda’s most valuable natural resource and it is also the foundation upon which Government delivers services to our people. Every public school, health facility, police station, district headquarters, national park, road reserve and water installation occupies land held in trust for the citizens of Uganda.As the population continues to grow and our economy expands, demand for land has increased significantly. Urbanisation, industrial development and infrastructure expansion have made land an increasingly valuable resource. While these developments present enormous opportunities for national growth, they also place considerable pressure on public land.
Government has witnessed increasing cases of encroachment, illegal occupation and fraudulent acquisition of Government/public land. In many cases, these challenges are not the result of deliberate wrongdoing by public institutions but rather the consequence of historical gaps in documentation.
Many Government facilities were established decades ago through community donations, compulsory land acquisition or administrative allocation before modern land administration systems were in place. Although these institutions have served Ugandans faithfully for many years, the land they occupy was never formally surveyed or registered. As a result, records have remained fragmented, boundaries have become uncertain and public assets have become vulnerable to competing claims.
The Comprehensive Government Land Inventory has therefore been conceived as a long-term national solution to these challenges.
Government land constitutes a significant proportion of Uganda’s total land area and supports virtually every sector of national development. It includes land occupied by Ministries, Departments and Agencies; Local Governments; public schools; health facilities; security institutions; road reserves; railway corridors; forests; wetlands; national parks; public utilities and other strategic installations.
Despite the immense value of these public assets, only a small proportion has been formally titled and comprehensively documented. According to information compiled by the Uganda Land Commission, Government land represents approximately 23 per cent of Uganda’s total land area, yet only about 26.16 per cent has been formally titled. This leaves a substantial proportion of Government land vulnerable to encroachment, fraudulent transactions and ownership disputes.
In addition, Government land records remain scattered across different institutions. Some records exist at the Uganda Land Commission, others at the Ministry, some within Local Governments, and many within individual Ministries, Departments and Agencies. In certain cases, records are incomplete, outdated or inconsistent. This fragmentation makes it difficult to establish a single, reliable picture of Government land across the Country.
The consequence of this is that Government often spends valuable time and resources verifying ownership of land that should already be clearly documented and protected.
By undertaking this inventory now, Government will strengthen planning, improve transparency, support infrastructure development and reduce the financial burden associated with land disputes and compensation claims.
Most importantly, the Programme will ensure that future generations inherit a well-documented and well-managed portfolio of Government land capable of supporting Uganda’s continued socio-economic transformation.
The inventory will cover land under the custody of the Uganda Land Commission, Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Local Governments and other public institutions. This includes land occupied by schools, health facilities, administrative offices, police stations, military installations, prisons, roads, railway reserves, airports, forests, wetlands, national parks, public markets, water installations and other public utilities.
By bringing this information together in one integrated system, Government will strengthen the protection of public land while improving planning and coordination across institutions.
It will be great if all Ministries, Departments, Agencies, Local Governments, cultural institutions, religious institutions, development partners, civil society organisations and members of the public support this important national undertakin of land inventory.
Protecting Government land is not the responsibility of one institution alone. It is a collective responsibility because these assets belong to all Ugandans.
The success of this Programme will depend upon our willingness to work together in a spirit of cooperation, transparency and accountability.
Every Ugandan benefits when Government land is properly identified, protected and managed.When public schools are secured from encroachment, our children continue to learn in a safe environment.When land for health facilities is protected, Government can expand hospitals and health centres without unnecessary disputes.
When road reserves are secured, roads can be constructed and maintained without delays arising from compensation claims or contested ownership.
When wetlands, forests and water catchment areas are protected, we preserve our environment and strengthen our resilience to climate change.
When Government land records are accurate and reliable, public resources that would otherwise be spent on litigation and compensation can instead be invested in improving education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure and other essential public services.
In short, this Programme is about protecting the assets that belong to every Ugandan and ensuring that future generations inherit a country whose public resources are secure and well managed.
The Comprehensive Government Land Inventory is not only a land governance initiative; it is also an economic reform.
Uganda’s continued socio-economic transformation depends on Government’s ability to plan confidently for infrastructure development and investment.
The Programme will also strengthen investor confidence by providing certainty regarding Government-owned land that may be required for future public investment or public-private partnerships.
A comprehensive and verified inventory will support more efficient public asset management, improve financial accountability and enhance planning across Government.
It will also reduce unnecessary expenditure associated with land disputes, delayed infrastructure projects and avoidable compensation claims.
Ultimately, this Programme is an investment in better governance and stronger economic growth.
In concluson government land inventory lays stronger foundations for sustainable development.Government land is more than a physical resource and it is where our children go to school,It is where roads, markets, industries and public institutions are built therefore protecting Government land is not simply an administrative responsibility; it is an investment in Uganda’s future.
A Comprehensive Government Land Inventory represents a significant step towards a modern, transparent and accountable system of public land administration. It will provide Government with the information needed to protect public assets, improve planning, strengthen service delivery and support the country’s long-term socio-economic transformation.
I call upon every Ministry, Department, Agency, Local Government, development partner, cultural institution, religious institution and every Ugandan to support this important national undertaking.
Together, we can secure Government land, strengthen public confidence in land administration and preserve our valuable national assets for generations to come.
The Writer is Chief Executive Officer of Elix Promotions Limited
