Government has issued new guidelines to bring order, coordination, and accountability to land dispute management across Uganda.
At a press briefing at the Uganda Media Centre, Minister of Lands Hon. Judith Nabakooba announced Circular No. 1 of 2026. The directive takes immediate effect and applies to ministries, departments, and agencies; Resident District and City Commissioners; security forces; local governments; surveyors; and anyone else involved in land-dispute interventions.
The Minister said the circular was necessary to address the growing challenges posed by land disputes, which have led to violence, property loss, insecurity, disrupted investments, and an unnecessary backlog in courts and law enforcement agencies.
Under the new framework, no government official, security officer, surveyor, or private actor may intervene in a land dispute unless it is part of a lawful, coordinated, and fully documented process.
Strict Rules Against Unlawful Evictions and Demolitions
Minister Nabakooba stressed that no person may be evicted or any structures demolished based on personal influence, verbal instructions, administrative letters, or unverified documents.
Evictions and demolitions may proceed only under a lawful, verifiable court order issued through due process. They must also comply with all applicable legal safeguards, including Presidential Executive Order No. 2 of 2022.
Furthermore, government agencies must respect the courts’ authority when a dispute is already active. The Minister expressed concern about incidents in which security personnel are deployed, people are threatened, or occupants are removed while a court case is ongoing.
“If there is an ongoing court case, we don’t expect anything to be happening in an area where that dispute is,” Nabakooba said.
Mandatory Coordination for Security Deployments
The circular prohibits uncoordinated security deployments intended to influence possession or ownership of disputed land. However, the Minister clarified that police and other competent agencies must still intervene to protect lives and property, prevent violence, and preserve evidence.
All investigations, site visits (locus visits), field verifications, and security operations must now be formally coordinated with the relevant district or city security committees and fully documented.
New Controls on Site Visits and Surveys
To prevent abuse, non-court site visits on disputed land now require prior written approval from the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, as well as formal clearance from the district or city security committee. Nabakooba emphasised that the security committee must grant this clearance collectively, rather than an individual Resident District Commissioner acting alone.
Survey activities on disputed land must also be traceable and coordinated to ensure they are not used to confuse, dispossess, or disadvantage current occupants. The circular also explicitly states that private security guards have no authority to determine land ownership, enforce disputed claims, or carry out evictions.
Combating Corruption and Forum Shopping
The government is taking firm steps to end corruption and “forum shopping” the practice of bringing a dispute to multiple offices until a favourable ruling is found. Complainants and officials must use established referral channels. Solicitation, bribery, influence-peddling, abuse of office, and receipt of unauthorised benefits will result in strict disciplinary or criminal action.
To streamline this process, the Ministry will establish a dedicated land-dispute resolution desk. This desk will receive and coordinate eligible complaints, prevent duplication, and refer cases to the relevant agencies.
Timelines and Accountability
Every intervention must produce a verifiable report. Investigations assigned by the Minister must be completed within three months unless a different timeline is provided in writing. If an agency cannot take on an assignment, it must return the case within two weeks, accompanied by a written explanation.
Where permitted by law, a commissioner’s caveat may be lodged to protect disputed land while an inquiry or determination is in progress. All information received under the circular will be centrally recorded and kept confidential.
Call for Calm
The Minister instructed permanent secretaries, agency heads, security commanders, local authorities, and surveyors to distribute and enforce the circular promptly.
She urged members of the public involved in land disputes to remain calm, preserve their documents and evidence, avoid violence, and seek justice through lawful channels.
“The government’s position is clear: land disputes will no longer be handled by force, intimidation, parallel orders, or corruption,” Nabakooba said. “Every intervention must be lawful, coordinated, documented, and accountable.”
