The Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Judith Nabakooba, has lifted the suspension on the issuance of Special Certificates of Title, introducing new guidelines aimed at closing loopholes exploited by land fraudsters and protecting legitimate property owners.
Nabakooba announced the lifting of the suspension during a press conference at the Uganda Media Centre on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, nearly two months after the ministry halted the issuance of the certificates on August 14 following public complaints over alleged land grabbing and fraudulent transactions.
The new guidelines are intended to strengthen verification procedures, improve accountability and ensure that replacement land titles do not overlap with existing registered interests.
According to Nabakooba, although Section 69 of the Registration of Titles Act provides for the issuance of Special Certificates of Title, the law does not explicitly prescribe detailed procedures to address the growing cases of fraud associated with the process.
She said the ministry had therefore reviewed the procedures to minimise opportunities for fraudulent claims and safeguard landowners’ rights in line with the 1995 Constitution.
“I am here to present the new guidelines issued to regulate the issuance of Special Certificates of Title,” Nabakooba said, adding that all new applications must comply with the revised requirements.
The minister said the ministry would continue consulting relevant stakeholders before translating the guidelines into formal regulations.
As part of the reforms, the ministry will rely on government surveyors to verify land and assess applications for Special Certificates of Title.
Nabakooba said the measure was intended to improve accountability and ensure that survey reports accurately reflect the situation on the ground.
She warned that district and ministry surveyors who submit reports that contradict actual land boundaries or existing records would be held accountable.
District staff surveyors operate under the supervision of the Commissioner for Surveys and Mapping, a structure the ministry hopes will strengthen oversight and reduce the risk of manipulated survey reports.
The reforms are also intended to simplify the processing of applications without compromising the verification procedures required to protect existing landowners.
Nabakooba also cautioned against attempts to bypass the legally prescribed notice period in the rush to obtain land documents.
She explained that the law provides for a minimum 30-day notice, which must be respected during the issuance process.
“The law talks about 30 days’ notice. Who are you to go against the law and make it in one day because you are in a hurry?” she asked.
The minister said the period allows sufficient time for objections and verification, adding that applications may take longer than 30 days where circumstances require further examination.
Nabakooba cited cases in which fraudsters allegedly followed formal registration procedures before obtaining titles that overlapped with land already registered in other people’s names.
She said the existence of a formally processed document does not necessarily eliminate the possibility of fraud, particularly where the information in the land registry does not correspond with the physical boundaries or earlier records.
The minister pointed to a case in Wakiso District in which a Special Certificate of Title reportedly affected approximately 200 existing land titles.
She said the case demonstrated how a single disputed certificate could trigger widespread uncertainty, affect multiple property owners and complicate land administration.
The ministry is therefore seeking to improve its registry records and ensure that information contained in official files corresponds with the actual land on the ground.
Nabakooba said the reforms were part of ongoing efforts to make the land registry more reliable, credible and acceptable to the public.
The minister clarified that the new guidelines would not automatically invalidate Special Certificates of Title issued before the reforms.
Instead, people with complaints about older certificates have been encouraged to submit their concerns to the ministry for investigation.
She acknowledged that recalling every previously issued certificate for reassessment under the new guidelines would be difficult, but said the ministry remained open to petitions from affected parties.
Nabakooba urged landowners who suspect irregularities to present their cases so that the ministry can investigate and determine appropriate action.
The minister also raised concerns about legal challenges that sometimes interrupt government efforts to cancel titles issued over protected areas.
She said the ministry had encountered situations in which cancellation processes were already underway before court orders halted further action.
Although she acknowledged that court orders are part of legitimate legal processes, Nabakooba argued that such interventions can complicate efforts to recover or protect land designated for conservation and other public purposes.
Her remarks highlight the continuing tension between land administration, the protection of public land and disputes that must be resolved through the courts.
The lifting of the suspension marks a new phase in the ministry’s efforts to reform the issuance of Special Certificates of Title. The effectiveness of the guidelines will depend on consistent enforcement, accurate land records, accountable officials and timely investigations into complaints.
For landowners, the ministry’s message is that applications for replacement titles can resume, but under stricter verification requirements intended to reduce fraud and protect legitimate ownership.
