The 1998 Land Act lists the land title as one of the most important documents to prove land ownership in Uganda. Despite this, many people cannot distinguish between a fake and a legit Ugandan land title, the Daily Monitor reports.
Milly Nassolo Kikomeko, a social rights activist and lawyer, told the Daily Monitor that most people in Uganda become victims of land fraud because of a lack of knowledge of the importance of legal documents, especially land titles. Land fraudsters keep coming up with new tricks to dupe the public into fake deals.
Here is What You Need to Know
A genuine title, according to Ms. Nassolo:
- Must bear official signatures from the regional land office and official seals gazetted by the government.
- Must have a block number, blue page, and encumbrance page.
Ms. Nassolo further recommends conducting a land title check at any Lands office in any region. Look for the specifics and history of the land title before proceeding with a transaction.
The Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development introduced additional measures in October 2020 to prevent fraud. The additional 7 features that land titles should bear include:
- Specific matrix bar-code
- National Identification Number
- Phone number
- Post office number
- Email address
- Duly authenticated printout of a map
- Printed on four pages on a special paper, bearing the official watermark
Based on the spokesperson of the Lands Ministry, Mr. Dennis Obbo, as per the law, any Ugandan can get a freehold, leasehold, mailo, or customary land title. Non-Ugandan citizens can only own lease titles.
Mr. Obbo further told the daily monitor that they could only process a title transfer in person since no one can get a title on behalf of the other.
“The owner and even minors can process and acquire the title,” he adds. However, with minors, it must be stated that they were minors when obtaining the title, the Daily Monitor reports.
The land title verification in Uganda can be done both physically and online.
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