UGANDA, Kampala | Real Muloodi News | The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development has announced plans to facilitate the registration and issuance of land titles and customary certificates of ownership for properties belonging to the Church of Uganda.
This initiative aims to formalise land ownership for the Anglican Church across various dioceses nationwide.
Lands Minister Judith Nabakooba disclosed this development during a three-day retreat attended by 40 bishops representing the 39 dioceses of the Church of Uganda at the Lweza Training and Conference Centre in Wakiso District.
“I have briefed my permanent secretary and the technical team. I think this is the time to help churches register their land. We will request of you one thing; have your trustees regularly updated and make annual returns for those trustees,” Minister Nabakooba stated.
She emphasised the importance of collaboration between the Church and the Ministry, urging the Church to designate a team to work alongside the Ministry’s team to facilitate the identification and registration of all untitled land parcels owned by the Church.
“Archbishop, I request you to give me a team from your side and I will also get a technical team to help work with your people to see how they can have the land registered,” Minister Nabakooba added.
The Minister further encouraged the Church to utilise the zonal land officers in their respective regions to address land-related matters efficiently.
“Each district has a staff surveyor and the ministry zonal offices have senior staff surveyors and principal staff surveyors. We have seen instances where people register land in their names as individuals yet this is Church land. The people who do this might have good intentions, but when they are no more, their families can claim that property,” she explained.
Minister Nabakooba also stressed the importance of registering all legitimate tenants residing on Church land to prevent unauthorised occupation and potential land disputes.
“Register bibanja (untitled land) holders to avoid other squatters from settling on the land because, without a register, a loophole is created for squatters to also settle on the same land and claim they have been there for 30 years. If such claims are put across, it is very difficult to defend them,” she cautioned.
Archbishop Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu highlighted the challenges faced by the Anglican Church due to unregistered land, noting that some donations of land were made without proper documentation or titles.
“Some of those who generously donated land did it in good spirit without titles or agreements,” he remarked.
Additionally, Archbishop Kaziimba Mugalu reminded the government of its commitment made four years ago to resolve the issue concerning St. Peter’s Church in Ndeeba and facilitate the reconstruction of the church.
“We are so happy that the government intervened on the Ndeeba church issue but it is yet to fulfil the pledge made by the President,” he stated.
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