Church of Uganda Launches Mass Land Titling Initiative to Combat Encroachment

The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development has officially launched a nationwide mass titling exercise for land owned by the Church of Uganda. This initiative aims to secure the extensive church property holdings across all 39 dioceses from illegal encroachment.

The significant exercise was officially inaugurated on Monday at the Diocese of Kigezi cathedral headquarters, located on Rugarama Hill. The launch event was attended by several bishops from the Kigezi, Muhabura, Kinkiizi, and North Kigezi dioceses, signifying a collaborative effort.

This program is a direct response to a directive issued by President Yoweri Museveni in September 2022. The directive followed a request from Archbishop Dr. Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu, who sought government assistance in protecting church assets.

Ministry spokesperson Denis Obbo stated that over 5,000 applications for land titles have already been received from the 39 dioceses, with a substantial 1,194 applications originating from the Kigezi sub-region. The Lands Minister, Judith Nabakooba, has approved the initial batch of applications from Kigezi, and the process of revalidating, surveying, and securing approvals from district land boards is underway, with titles expected within the next three months.

Bishops have expressed gratitude for the government’s support, particularly the subsidized cost of Shs400,000 per land title, a fraction of the usual Shs3 million to Shs4 million. They urged Christians to contribute financially to ensure the completion of the titling process.

Local leaders, including the Rukiga Resident District Commissioner, Zadok Kamusiime, have pledged full support, highlighting that securing land titles will significantly reduce the time spent resolving land disputes and conflicts.

Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/church-of-uganda-begins-mass-land-titling-to-block-encroachers-5456230