Land Act 1998 As Amended CAP 227

CHAPTER 227

The Land Act, 1998.

Commencement: 2 July, 1998
Editor’s note:
This version of the Land Act incorporates amendments contained in
- The Land (Amendment) Act, 2004
and
- The Land (Amendment) Act, 2010.
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Arrangement of Sections.
Section
PART I—INTERPRETATION.
1. Interpretation.
PART II—LAND HOLDING.

2. Land ownership.
3. Incidents of forms of tenure.
4. Certificate of customary ownership.
5. Functions of committee on application for certificate of customary
ownership.
6. Procedures for application for certificate of customary ownership.
7. Functions and procedure of board on application for certificate of customary
ownership.
8. Incidents of certificate of customary ownership.
9. Conversion of customary tenure to freehold tenure.
10. Application for grant of land in freehold.
11. Functions of the committee on application for freehold tenure.
LAND ACT, 1998 (incorporating The Land (Amendment) Acts, 2004 and 2010) Page 1 of 77
12. Procedures for application for freehold tenure.
13. Functions of board on application for freehold tenure.
14. Duties of commissioner in respect of applications under sections 9 and 10.
15. Communal land associations.
16. Meeting to form association and elect a managing committee.
17. Constitution of an association.
18. Incorporation of officers as managing committee.
19. Powers of managing committee.
20. Disputes.
21. Dissolution and decertification of an association.
22. Individual holding of land created out of communal land.
23. Establishment of areas of common land use in communally-owned land.
24. Management of areas of common land use.
25. Content of common land management scheme.
26. Basic rights and duties of members of the community using common land.
27. Rights of women, children and persons with a disability regarding
customary land.
28. Conversion of leasehold into freehold.
29. Meaning of “lawful occupant” and “bona fide occupant”.
30. Mediator to assist persons not qualified to be bona fide occupants.
31. Tenant by occupancy.
32. Jurisdiction of District Land Tribunal in respect of nonpayment of ground
rent.
32A. Lawful or bona fide occupants to be evicted only for non payment of
ground rent.
33. Certificate of occupancy.
34. Transactions with the tenancy by occupancy.
35. Option to purchase.
36. Mutual agreement between tenant by occupancy and registered owner.
37. Abandonment and termination of occupancy.
38. – repealed –
38A. Security of occupancy.
39. Restrictions on transfer of land by family members.
40. Acquisition of land by a noncitizen.
41. Land Fund.
PART III—CONTROL OF LAND USE.
42. Acquisition of land by the Government.
43. Utilisation of land according to various laws.
44. Control of environmentally sensitive areas.
45. Land use planning and zoning.
PART IV—LAND MANAGEMENT.

Uganda Land Commission.
46. Establishment of the commission.
47. Membership of the commission.
48. Tenure of office.
49. Functions of the commission.
50. Secretary and other officers of the commission.
51. Meetings of the commission.
52. Authentication of common seal, etc.
53. Powers of the commission.
54. Salaries and expenses of the commission.
55. Commission to conform to Government policy.
District land boards.
56. Establishment of district land boards.
57. Membership of a board.
58. Tenure of office of members of a board.
59. Functions of a board.
60. Powers of a board.
61. Secretary to a board, etc.
62. Meetings of a board.
63. Expenses of a board, remuneration of members and audit.
Land committees.
64. Establishment of land committees.
65. Qualification for appointment as member of a committee.
66. Remuneration of members of committees.
67. Meetings of the committee.
68. Recorder.
General powers of disposal and rights.
69. General powers of disposal.
70. Water rights.
71. Rights of way.
72. Rights of officials to encamp.
73. Execution of public works.
PART V—DISTRICT LAND TRIBUNALS.

District Land Tribunals.
74. District Land Tribunals.
75. Tenure of office of members of District Land Tribunals.
76. Jurisdiction of District Land Tribunals.
76A. Modification of Cap. 8.
77. Computation of compensation.
78. Rules of procedure.
79. Secretary of District Land Tribunal.
79A. Registration of District Land Tribunals.
79B. Management of administrative affairs of Tribunal.
79C. Existing Officers.
79D. Supervisory powers over land tribunals.
Subcounty and urban land tribunals, etc.

87. Right of appeal.
88. Customary dispute settlement and mediation.
89. Functions of the mediator.
PART VI—MISCELLANEOUS.
90. Disposal of fees, etc.
91. Special powers of commissioner.
92. Offences and penalties.
93. Regulations.
94. Power of Minister to amend Schedule.
95. Transitional provisions.
96. Saving.
Schedule
Schedule Currency point.
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CHAPTER 227
THE LAND ACT.
Commencement: 2 July, 1998.
An Act to provide for the tenure, ownership and management of land; to
amend and consolidate the law relating to tenure, ownership and management
of land; and to provide for other related or incidental matters.
PART I—INTERPRETATION.
1. Interpretation.
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—
(a) “alienated” means alienated by the grant of an estate in freehold or leasehold
which is registered under the Registration of Titles Act, and “unalienated”
shall be interpreted accordingly;
(b) “association” means a communal land association established by section 15;
(c) “authorised undertaker” means a person or authority authorised or required
by law to execute public works;
(d) “board” means a district land board established by article 240 of the
Constitution and referred to in section 56;
(e) “bona fide occupant” and “lawful occupant” have the meanings assigned to
them in section 29;
(f) “certificate of customary ownership” means a certificate issued under section
4;
(g) “certificate of occupancy” means a certificate issued under section 33;
(h) “Commission” means the Uganda Land Commission established by article
238 of the Constitution and referred to in section 46;
“Commissioner” means the Commissioner for Land Registration and includes
Assistant Commissioner, Principal Registrar of Titles, Senior Registrar of
Titles, Registrar of Titles, or District Registrar of Titles so appointed to the
extent that he or she has been anthorised to exercise or perform any power or
duty conferred or imposed by this Act upon the Commissioner;
(i) “committee” means a land committee established by section 64;
(j) “community” means an indigenous community of Uganda as provided for in
the Third Schedule to the Constitution, or any clan or subclan of any such
indigenous community communally occupying, using or managing land;
(k) “currency point” has the value assigned to it in the Schedule to this Act;
(l) “customary tenure” means a system of land tenure regulated by customary
rules which are limited in their operation to a particular description or class
of persons the incidents of which are described in section 3;
“District Land Tribunal” means the District Land Tribunal established under
section 75 of this Act;
(m) “former controlling authority” means the Uganda Land Commission or a
designated authority in existence before the coming into force of the
Constitution;
(n) “former designated authority” means a city council, municipal council, town
council or town board established in a designated urban area;
(o) “former public land” means land previously administered under the Public
Lands Act, 1969, prior to the coming into force of the Land Reform Decree,
1975;
(p) “freehold land tenure” means the holding of registered land in perpetuity
subject to statutory and common law qualifications the incidents of which
are described in section 3;
(q) “gazetted” means published in the official gazette by either a statutory
instrument or a legal notice issued by the responsible Minister;
(r) – repealed –
(s) “leasehold land tenure” means the holding of land for a given period from a
specified date of commencement, on such terms and conditions as may be
agreed upon by the lessor and lessee, the incidents of which are described in
section 3, and includes a sublease;
(t) “mailo land tenure” means the holding of registered land in perpetuity and
having roots in the allotment of land pursuant to the 1900 Uganda Agreement
and subject to statutory qualifications, the incidents of which are described
in section 3;
(u) “mediator” has the meaning assigned to it in section 89;
(v) “Minister” means the Minister responsible for lands;
(w) “public works” means the construction of railways, roads, canals or airfields;
the placing of telegraph lines and electric lines, and the erection of supports
for those lines; the laying of sewer and water pipes; the construction of
drains; the prospecting, exploration, mining and extraction of petroleum
resources; the construction of dams and hydropower plants; the
establishment of meteorological and water quality stations; the construction
of water and sewerage treatment plants, storage reservoirs and pumping
stations; and any other works, construction of public buildings and other
public institutions, declared by statutory instrument to be public works, the
construction of buildings for public use, such as hospitals and universities,
for the purposes of section 73; and any other works ancillary or incidental to
the foregoing;
(x) “recorder” means the recorder established by section 68;
(y) “Register Book” means the book kept by the commissioner in accordance
with the Registration of Titles Act;
(z) “registered owner” means the owner of registered land registered in
accordance with the Registration of Titles Act;
(aa) “registrable interest” means an interest registrable under the Registration of
Titles Act, namely, mailo, freehold, leasehold and subleasehold, but
includes a certificate of customary tenure and a certificate of occupancy;
(bb) – repealed –
(cc) “road” means a road reserve as defined in the Roads Act;
(dd) “tenant by occupancy” means the lawful or bona fide occupant declared to
be a tenant by occupancy by section 31;
“third party right” means a right, interest, privilege or liberty which a person has
or possesses, either indefinitely or for life or for a lesser period under
customary law, common law or equity to use or occupy for a specific
purpose or for a specific period all or part of the land of a landowner or to
prevent a landowner from exercising any right, interest, privilege or liberty
in, on, under or over his or her land, and includes but is not limited to, an
easement, a profit a prendre, a usufructuary right, a restrictive covenant, a
right arising out of a share-cropping agreement, a right of a person as a
member of a group to go on to and to gather and use the fruits of
communally owned land or a right to use land which a spouse may acquire
by virtue of marriage, but does not include a lease or sub-lease;
(ee) “urban area” means an area gazetted as an urban area by the Minister
responsible for urban affairs.
PART II—LAND HOLDING.

2. Land ownership.
Subject to article 237 of the Constitution, all land in Uganda shall vest in the
citizens of Uganda and shall be owned in accordance with the following land
tenure systems—
(a) customary;
(b) freehold;
(c) mailo; and
(d) leasehold.
3. Incidents of forms of tenure.
(1) Customary tenure is a form of tenure—
(a) applicable to a specific area of land and a specific description or
class of persons;
(b) subject to section 27, governed by rules generally accepted as
binding and authoritative by the class of persons to which it applies;
(c) applicable to any persons acquiring land in that area in accordance
with those rules;
(d) subject to section 27, characterised by local customary regulation;
(e) applying local customary regulation and management to individual
and household ownership, use and occupation of, and transactions
in, land;
(f) providing for communal ownership and use of land;
(g) in which parcels of land may be recognised as subdivisions
belonging to a person, a family or a traditional institution; and
(h) which is owned in perpetuity.
(2) Freehold tenure is a form of tenure deriving its legality from the
Constitution and its incidents from the written law which—
(a) involves the holding of registered land in perpetuity or for a period
less than perpetuity which may be fixed by a condition;
(b) enables the holder to exercise, subject to the law, full powers of
ownership of land, including but not necessarily limited to—
(i) using and developing the land for any lawful purpose;
(ii) taking and using any and all produce from the land;
(iii) entering into any transaction in connection with the land,
including but not limited to selling, leasing, mortgaging or
pledging, subdividing creating rights and interests for other
people in the land and creating trusts of the land;
(iv) disposing of the land to any person either as a gift inter vivos or
by will.
(3) For the avoidance of doubt, a freehold title may be created which is
subject to conditions, restrictions or limitations which may be positive or
negative in their application, applicable to any of the incidents of the tenure.
(4) Mailo tenure is a form of tenure deriving its legality from the
Constitution and its incidents from the written law which—
(a) involves the holding of registered land in perpetuity;
(b) permits the separation of ownership of land from the ownership of
developments on land made by a lawful or bona fide occupant; and
(c) enables the holder, subject to the customary and statutory rights of
those persons lawful or bona fide in occupation of the land at the
time that the tenure was created and their successors in title, to
exercise all the powers of ownership of the owner of land held of a
freehold title set out in subsections (2) and (3) and subject to the
same possibility of conditions, restrictions and limitations, positive
or negative in their application, as are referred to in those
subsections.
(5) Leasehold tenure is a form of tenure—
(a) created either by contract or by operation of law;
(b) the terms and conditions of which may be regulated by law to the
exclusion of any contractual agreement reached between the parties;
(c) under which one person, namely the landlord or lessor, grants or is
deemed to have granted another person, namely the tenant or lessee,
exclusive possession of land usually but not necessarily for a period
defined, directly or indirectly, by reference to a specific date of
commencement and a specific date of ending;
(d) usually but not necessarily in return for a rent which may be for a
capital sum known as a premium or for both a rent and a premium
but may be in return for goods or services or both or may be free of
any required return;
(e) under which both the landlord and the tenant may, subject to the
terms and conditions of the lease and having due regard for the
interests of the other party, exercise such of the powers of a freehold
owner as are appropriate and possible given the specific nature of a
leasehold tenure.
4. Certificate of customary ownership.
(1) Any person, family or community holding land under customary tenure
on former public land may acquire a certificate of customary ownership in
respect of that land in accordance with this Act.
(2) A certificate of customary ownership shall be in the prescribed form.
(3) An application for a certificate of customary ownership shall be in the
prescribed form and shall be submitted, together with the prescribed fee, to the
committee of the area in which the land the subject of the application is situated.
5. Functions of committee on application for certificate of

customary ownership.
(1) On receipt of an application for a certificate of customary ownership,
the committee shall—
(a) determine, verify and mark the boundaries of all interests in the land
which is the subject of the application;
(b) demarcate rights of way and other easements over the land the
subject of the application and any adjacent land which benefit or
burden or are reputed to benefit or burden any such land or which it
considers will be necessary for the more beneficial occupation of
any such land in respect of which an application may be granted or
any adjacent land;
(c) adjudicate upon and decide in accordance with and applying
customary law any question or matter concerning the land referred
to it by any person with an interest in land which is the subject of an
application or any land adjacent to it, including the question of
whether the customary law applicable to the land the subject of the
application recognises individual rights to the occupation and use of
land and, if so, subject to what conditions and limitations;
(d) record that if any person has, or two or more persons have, exercised
rights under customary law over the land the subject of the
application that should be recognised as ownership of that land, that
person or those persons, as the case may be, shall, prima facie, be
entitled to be issued with a certificate of customary ownership and
in the case of two or more persons, the shares of each person and
the nature of their ownership;
(e) if any persons have exercised any right over the land or any part of
it or are entitled to any interest in the land or part of it not amounting
to ownership, including any lease, right of occupation or use,
charge, pledge or other encumbrance whether by virtue of
customary law or otherwise, hereafter in this Act referred to as a
third party right, record the nature, incidents and extent of that third
party right and the persons entitled to the benefit of it;
(f) advise the board upon any question of customary law;
(g) safeguard the interests and rights in the land which is the subject of
the application of women, absent persons, minors and persons with
or under a disability;
(h) take account of any interest in land in respect of which, for any
reason, no claim has been made;
(i) exercise such other functions as may be prescribed.
(2) The committee shall, in the exercise of any of its powers under this
section which involve a hearing, comply with the rules of natural justice and,
subject to that duty, may—
(a) hear evidence which would otherwise not be admissible in a court
of law;
(b) call evidence of its own motion;
(c) use evidence contained in any official record or adduced in any
other claim;
(d) refer any matters to any customary institution habitually accepted
within the area as an institution with functions over land for its
advice and, where relevant, use, with or without adaptations and
additions, customary procedures relating to the settlement of
disputes over land recognised and in general use within the
community where the land is situated; and
(e) generally, determine its own procedures.
(3) In order to discharge the functions referred to in subsection (1), the
chairperson of a committee shall have power to administer oaths and to issue
summonses, notices and orders requiring the attendance of such persons and the
production of such documents as he or she may consider necessary for carrying
out the functions of the committee.
6. Procedures for application for certificate of customary

ownership.
(1) The chairperson of a committee shall be responsible for ensuring that
the procedures to be followed by the committee as set out in this section and any
other procedures that may be prescribed are complied with.
(2) Where an application has been submitted to the committee, a notice in
the prescribed form shall be published and posted in a prominent place in the
area and on the land which is the subject of the application—
(a) specifying the location and approximate area of the land;
(b) requiring all persons who claim any interest in the land or in any
adjacent land which may be affected by the application, including
in respect of any adjacent land claims as to the boundaries of that
land, to attend a meeting of the committee at a specified time and
put forward their claims; and the time specified shall be not less than
two weeks from the date on which the notice is published and posted
as required by this subsection.
(3) On the date specified under subsection (2), the committee shall hear and
determine all claims made under that subsection.
(4) The committee may adjourn any hearing into any claim and request an
officer from the district land office, any other person or a group of persons
recognised within the area as having knowledge about the land and its incidents
of tenure to conduct further investigations into that claim.
(5) In hearing and determining any claim, the committee shall use its best
endeavours to mediate between and reconcile parties having conflicting claims
to the land.
(6) The committee shall—
(a) prepare a report on the application, recording all claims to interests
and rights in the land or to the occupation and use of the land and
its opinion on whether those claims have been proved to exist,
setting out its findings and recommendations with reasons on the
application, including in all cases whether the application should be
approved with or without conditions, restrictions or limitations
endorsed on the certificate and forming part of the incidents of
customary ownership evidenced by the certificate or refused, and all
claims made in relation to the application;
(b) give or send a copy of the report to the applicant;
(c) submit the report to the board;
(d) make a copy of the report available within the area for inspection by
all persons who submitted claims to or who were heard by the
committee.
7. Functions and procedure of board on application for certificate

of customary ownership.
(1) The board shall, upon receipt of the report and recommendations of the
committee referred to in section 6(6), consider the application in the light of that
report and those recommendations and may—
(a) confirm the recommendations of the committee and where those
recommendations are to issue a certificate of customary ownership
with or without conditions, restrictions or limitations, approve the
issue of a certificate of customary ownership accordingly and where
the recommendations are to refuse to issue a certificate of customary
ownership, confirm that refusal;
(b) where the recommendation of the committee is to approve the issue
of a certificate subject to conditions, restrictions or limitations, vary
the recommendation of the committee and approve the issue of a
certificate of customary ownership, with or without conditions,
restrictions or limitations in accordance with any such variations as
it may make;
(c) return the report to the committee with directions as to what action,
including further investigations or hearings, the committee is to
undertake on the application; or
(d) reject the report of the Committee and where the recommendation
of the Committee is to issue a certificate, refuse the issue of a
certificate and where the recommendation of the Committee is to
refuse the issue of a certificate, approve the issue of a certificate.
(2) Where the board rejects or varies a recommendation of the committee,
it shall give reasons for its decision.
(3) Where the committee has recorded under section 5(1)(e) that a person is
entitled to the benefit of a third party right, a certificate of customary ownership
may only be issued subject to that third party right, a record of which shall be
endorsed on the certificate.
(4) The board shall communicate its decision in writing to the recorder.
(5) Where the Board approves the issue of a certificate of customary
ownership with or without conditions, restrictions or limitations, the Recorder
shall issue the applicant with a certificate in the terms of the decision of the
Board.
(6) Any person aggrieved by a decision of the board under this section may
appeal to the District Land Tribunal against that decision; and the District Land
Tribunal may confirm, vary, reverse or modify the decision of the board and
make such other order in respect of that decision or as it is empowered to make
by this Act.
8. Incidents of certificate of customary ownership.

(1) A certificate of customary ownership shall be taken to confirm and is
conclusive evidence of the customary rights and interests specified in it, and the
land to which the certificate refers shall continue to be occupied, used, regulated
and any transactions in respect of the land undertaken and any third party rights
over the land exercised in accordance with customary law.
(2) A certificate of customary ownership shall confer on the holder of the
certificate the right of the holder to undertake, subject to the conditions,
restrictions and limitations contained in the certificate and subject to subsection
(1), any transactions in respect of that land which may include, but shall not be
limited to—
(a) leasing the land or a part of it;
(b) permitting a person usufructuary rights over the land or a part of it
for a limited period which may include a period for the life of the
person granting or the person granted the usufructuary right;
(c) mortgaging or pledging the land or a part of it, where a certificate
of customary ownership does not restrict it;
(d) subdividing the land or a part of it, where a certificate of customary
ownership does not restrict it;
(e) creating, or with the consent of the person entitled to the benefit,
altering or discharging any easement, right in the nature of an
easement or third party right applicable to the land or a part of it;
(f) selling the land or a part of it, where a customary certificate of
customary ownership does not restrict it;
(g) transferring the land or a part of it to any other person in response
to an order of a court or a District Land Tribunal;
(h) disposing of the land either as a gift inter vivos or by will.
(3) The holder of a certificate of customary ownership who undertakes any
transaction in respect of the land to which the certificate relates shall provide the
recorder with a copy or other accurate record of the transaction, and the recorder
shall keep all such records in the prescribed manner.
(4) No transaction referred to in subsection (3)(a), (c) or (f) shall have the
effect of passing any interest in the land to which the transaction relates unless it
is registered by the recorder under subsection (3).
(5) For the avoidance of doubt, where a mortgage of land to which this
section applies has been made under the Mortgage Act, the mortgagee has the
power to sell and execute a transfer of that land to a purchaser in case of default
by the mortgagor.
(6) In this section, “usufructuary right” means the right to use and derive
profit from a piece of property belonging to another while the property itself
remains undiminished and uninjured in any way.
(7) A certificate of customary ownership shall be recognised by financial
institutions, bodies and authorities as a valid certificate for purposes of evidence
of title.
9. Conversion of customary tenure to freehold tenure.
(1) Any person, family, community or association holding land under
customary tenure on former public land may convert the customary tenure into
freehold tenure in accordance with this Act.
(2) The decision of the board approving the conversion to freehold tenure
shall be in the prescribed form.
(3) An application for conversion from customary tenure to freehold tenure
shall be in the prescribed form and shall be submitted, together with the
prescribed fee, to the committee of the area in which the land the subject of the
application is situated.
(4) On receipt of the report and recommendations of the committee, the
board shall cause the land in respect of which the application is made to be
surveyed before approving the application.
(5) When the board approves an application for conversion, the board may
attach conditions to the conversion.
(6) Any party aggrieved by the decision of the board may appeal to the
District Land Tribunal; and the tribunal may confirm, reverse, vary or modify
the decision and make such orders as it is empowered to make by this Act.
10. Application for grant of land in freehold.

(1) A person who wishes to be granted a freehold shall apply in the
prescribed form to the board.
(2) The application referred to in subsection (1) shall be lodged with the
committee.
11. Functions of the committee on application for freehold tenure.

(1) Upon receipt of an application made under section 9 or 10, the
committee shall, subject to this section, exercise in respect of the application all
its functions under section 5.
(2) The committee shall when exercising the functions set out in section
5(1)(c) consider or take into account the question whether the customary law
applicable to the land the subject of an application to which this section applies
recognises or provides for individual ownership of land.
(3) In respect of an application made under section 9, the committee shall,
when exercising the functions set out in section 5(1)(d) record whether the person
or persons referred to in that paragraph are prima facie entitled to have their
customary tenure converted to freehold tenure and in any case where two or more
persons are prima facie entitled to convert their customary tenure to freehold
tenure shall record whether they own or are entitled jointly or in common and in
the latter case, the share of each.
(4) Any person who holds a certificate of customary ownership shall be
exempted in respect of that land from the verification described by section 5.
12. Procedures for application for freehold tenure.

(1) The committee shall, subject to this section, in respect of an application
made under section 9 or 10, comply with all the procedures set out in section 6.
(2) Where the applicant is in possession of a certificate of customary
ownership—
(a) Section 6(2)(b), (3), (4), (5) shall not apply to the application;
(b) the committee may, when preparing a report on the application to
which section 9 applies, make use of any report prepared under
section 6(6)(a) but shall, in so doing, have regard to section 11 and
whether, in the circumstances of the application, there are any new
or additional matters not dealt with in the report submitted under
section 6 that should be brought to the attention of the board.
13. Functions of board on application for freehold tenure.

(1) The board shall, upon receipt of the report and recommendations of the
committee referred to in section 12(2)(b), consider the application in the light of
that report and those recommendations and, subject to section 12(1), may—
(a) confirm the recommendations of the committee and where those
recommendations are to approve the application, with or without
conditions and restrictions, confirm that approval and refer the
approval to the commissioner to issue the applicant with a certificate
of title or, as the case may be, a limited certificate under the
Registration of Titles Act and where the recommendations are to
refuse the application, confirm that refusal;
(b) where the recommendation of the committee is to approve the
application, subject to conditions, restrictions and limitations, vary
the recommendation of the committee and approve the application,
with or without conditions, restrictions and limitations in
accordance with any such variations as it may make;
(c) return the report to the committee with directions as to what action,
including any further investigations or hearings, the committee is to
undertake on the application; or
(d) reject the report of the committee and where the recommendation of
the committee is to approve the application, refuse to approve the
application and where the recommendation of the committee is to
refuse the application, approve the application; and where the
application is rejected, the board shall give reasons as to why the
application was rejected.
(2) Where the committee reports, under section 12(2)(b) that a person is
entitled to the benefit of a third party right, the board shall, if it accepts the report
of the committee on the matter, and after taking into account the advice of the
district land office, determine the nature of the third party right.
(3) Before approving the report and recommendations under subsection
(1)(a) or (b), the board shall cause the land in respect of which the application is
made to be surveyed.
(4) The board may, where it has determined that any person is entitled to
the benefit of a third party right in land which is subject to an application for
conversion to freehold tenure, determine that any freehold title of such land shall
be subject to such restrictions, conditions and limitations as it considers desirable
in the interests of efficiency and equity in land management or as will enable full
effect to be given to those third party rights.
(5) In respect of an application to which section 10 applies, the board shall
charge a fee for the freehold title which shall be prescribed and any such charge
at the fair market valuation shall be set by the board at the level determined by
the chief government valuer, and any fee may be paid in one lump sum or in
installments as the board may determine.
(6) Where the board approves an application, it shall—
(a) send a copy of its decision to the commissioner to enable the
commissioner to issue a certificate;
(b) request the commissioner to issue a certificate of freehold title to the
applicant in terms of its decision, including endorsing on the title as
an encumbrance any restriction, condition or limitation as is referred
to in subsection (4).
(7) Any person aggrieved by a decision or determination of the board under
this section may appeal to the District Land Tribunal against that decision; and
the District Land Tribunal may confirm, vary, reverse or modify the decision or
determination of the board and make such other order in respect of that decision
or determination as it is empowered to make by this Act.
14. Duties of commissioner in respect of applications under

sections 9 and 10.
(1) On receipt of a decision of the board approving an application for the
conversion of customary tenure to freehold tenure or approving a grant of land
in freehold tenure accompanied by a certified survey plan, the commissioner
shall issue a freehold certificate of title to the applicant.
(2) The commissioner may, in accordance with section 39 of the
Registration of Titles Act, on the advice of the commissioner responsible for
surveys, issue to the applicant a certificate of title endorsed with the words
“Limited as to Parcels”.
(3) Where the decision of the board includes a request under section
13(6)(b) that the commissioner shall endorse the certificate of title with an
encumbrance so as to give effect to a restriction, condition or limitation on the
freehold title, the commissioner shall give effect to that request.
15. Communal land associations.
(1) A communal land association may be formed by any group of persons
in accordance with this Act for any purpose connected with communal
ownership and management of land, whether under customary law or otherwise.
(2) Within each district, the commissioner shall perform such functions
relating to communal land associations as are conferred on that officer by this
Act or as may be prescribed.
(3) The commissioner shall keep a public register of associations in the
prescribed form and shall exercise a broad and general supervision over the
administration of the associations within his or her district in order to ensure that
they comply with their constitutions and manage the communal land under their
control with due regard to the interests of the members of the association; and
without limiting the generality of that function, he or she may, at any time that
he or she considers it necessary for the proper performance of his or her functions
or that it is in the public interest so to do, give directions to any officer of an
association as to the proper performance of his or her duties, and that officer shall
be under a duty to comply with any such order.
16. Meeting to form association and elect a managing committee.

(1) A group of persons who wish to form themselves into an association
may apply to the commissioner to become an association under the Act.
(2) The commissioner shall, on receipt of an application, convene a meeting
of the group of persons.
(3) A notice to convene a meeting shall—
(a) state the place where and the time, being not less than twenty-one
days from the date of the notice, at which the meeting is to be held;
(b) be drawn to the attention of all members of the group of persons in
such manner that they will understand its nature and purpose.
(4) A meeting of a group of persons convened under this section shall—
(a) determine whether to incorporate themselves into an association;
(b) where not less than 60 percent of the group determine so to
incorporate themselves, elect not more than nine nor less than three
persons, of whom not less than one-third shall be women, to be the
officers of the association.
(5) The commissioner or an authorised officer shall preside at the meeting
convened under this section.
17. Constitution of an association.

(1) The officers elected under section 16 shall be responsible for preparing
a constitution for the association.
(2) The commissioner shall assist the officers in preparing a constitution for
the association and may provide the officers with a model constitution containing
such matters as may be prescribed.
(3) A constitution prepared by the officers shall be submitted to the
commissioner for his or her certification that it complies with such matters as
may have been prescribed or where no matter has been prescribed, that it
provides for a transparent and democratic process of management of the affairs
of the association.
(4) Where the commissioner is of the opinion that the constitution does not
comply with subsection (3), he or she shall, within not more than thirty days from
the receipt of that constitution, return it to the officers with a statement of reasons
as to why he or she has rejected it.
(5) A constitution which has been rejected under subsection (4) may be
revised and resubmitted for certification.
(6) A constitution which has been certified as complying with subsection
(3) shall be put before and voted on by a meeting of the members of the
association specifically convened for that purpose.
(7) A constitution shall be the approved constitution of the association when
and only when it is approved by an absolute majority of all the members of that
association at the meeting referred to in subsection (6).
(8) An approved constitution shall be binding on all members of the
association.
18. Incorporation of officers as managing committee.
(1) The officers of an association which has voted to approve a certified
constitution shall apply to the commissioner on the prescribed form to be
incorporated under this Act.
(2) On receiving an application under subsection (1), the commissioner
shall, if he or she is satisfied that the requirements of this Act and any regulations
made under this Act have been complied with, issue a certificate of incorporation
of the officers of the association in the prescribed form, subject to such
conditions and limitations as may be prescribed.
(3) Upon the issue of a certificate of incorporation, the persons named in it
as the officers shall become a body corporate with the name specified in the
certificate and shall have perpetual succession and a common seal.
(4) Where a certificate of incorporation has been issued subject to
conditions and limitations, the officers may, with the approval of the
commissioner, vary any of those conditions or limitations.
19. Powers of managing committee.

(1) The issue of a certificate of incorporation shall, subject to this Act,
confer on the officers the powers to sue and the liability to be sued in the
corporate name of the association, to make contracts binding on the association
and all its members, to grant mortgages, pledges or liens over any property of the
association and to dispose of any property of the association.
(2) The managing committee shall hold any land and other property which
it holds as such and exercise its powers as such for and on behalf of all members
of the association on any exercise of its functions.
(3) Where land is held on a certificate of customary ownership or a freehold
or leasehold title by the managing committee on behalf of an association, no
transactions of any kind in respect of the land or any part of the land shall be
entered into or undertaken or concluded by the managing committee unless a
majority convened for the purpose approve the specific transactions which are
the subject of the meeting, and any transaction which is concluded which does
not comply with this subsection shall be null and void and shall give rise to no
rights or interest in the land.
20. Disputes.
(1) If a dispute arises within an association, the commissioner may of his or
her own motion or on a request in writing by not less than one-tenth of the
membership of that association—
(a) undertake an inquiry into the activities of the association and the
matters which have caused or contributed to the dispute;
(b) refer the dispute to the board or such other person as he or she
considers suitable to act as a conciliator to mediate the dispute
between the members;
(c) propose amendments to the constitution or the rules of the
association to avoid similar disputes in the future;
(d) take such other action as he or she shall consider appropriate in the
circumstances, including action under this section.
(2) Where the commissioner has intervened in a dispute within an
association under this section, all members of that association shall comply with
any directions given by that officer in connection with the resolution of that
dispute and shall cooperate with any person appointed by that officer to assist in
resolving the dispute.
21. Dissolution and decertification of an association.

(1) The managing committee may apply to the commissioner for dissolution
of the association.
(2) An application under subsection (1) shall be made in the prescribed form
and shall be—
(a) signed by the officers;
(b) accompanied by the duly and properly signed minutes of the
meeting of the members of the association specifically convened for
the purpose at which a resolution to support the dissolution of the
association was approved by a majority of all members of the
association; and
(c) delivered or sent to the commissioner within fourteen days of the
date on which the resolution was approved.
(3) The commissioner may, if he or she thinks fit, consent to the dissolution
applied for; but the consent shall not affect any liability for any debts or remove
any obligation to pay any taxes, fees, dues or other sums which the officers, on
behalf of the association, owed up to the time of the dissolution, and any action
or proceedings against those officers which have been or which may be
commenced in respect of any such debts or sums owing may be continued or
commenced, as the case may be.
(4) When an order of dissolution is consented to, the commissioner shall—
(a) give appropriate publicity to the dissolution and its effect;
(b) cancel the certificate of incorporation of the association; and
(c) give such other directions and make such other orders as are
necessary to give full effect to the dissolution and decertification of
the association.
22. Individual holding of land created out of communal land.

(1) Where an association holds land under a certificate of customary
ownership or for a freehold title on behalf of a community, the association shall,
where the customary law of the area makes provision for it, recognise and verify
that all or part of the land so held by it is occupied and used by individuals and
families for their own purposes and benefit.
(2) For the purpose of holding land under customary tenure, a family shall
be deemed to be a legal person represented by the head of the family.
(3) Where any individual member of or family within a community referred
to in subsection (1) or otherwise wishes to own, in his or her or their own
capacity, land which is held communally but which, in accordance with
customary law, is made available for the occupation and use of that individual or
household, then—
(a) if it is before the land held by an association on behalf of the
community, the individual or household may apply for a certificate
of customary ownership under section 4, or for a freehold title under
section 10, in respect of his or her or its portion of land, and sections
5 and 6 or, as the case may be, 11 to 14 shall apply to that
application;
(b) where the land communally owned is held by an association under
a certificate of customary ownership, the individual or family may
apply to the association to transfer to him, her or it, his or her or its
portion of land, and the association shall consider the application
and take a decision in the matter; and if the association approves the
application, the applicant may cause his or her portion of the land to
be demarcated and transferred to the applicant and registered by the
recorder;
(c) where the land communally owned is held by an association under
freehold title, the individual or family may apply to the association
to transfer to him, her or to it, his, her or its portion of land, and the
association shall consider the application and take a decision in the
matter; and if the association approves the application, the applicant
may cause his or her portion of the land to be surveyed and
transferred to the applicant and registered by the commissioner.
(4) Any person aggrieved by a decision of the association under this section
may appeal against the decision to the District Land Tribunal; and the District
Land Tribunal may confirm, vary, reverse or modify the decision of the
association and make such other order as it is empowered to make under this Act.
23. Establishment of areas of common land use in communally-

owned land.
(1) An association may, and shall, when so requested to do so by the
community on whose behalf it holds land, set aside one or more areas of land for
common use by members of the group.
(2) The boundaries of any area of land which has been set aside for common
use shall be marked out in such a manner, including any such manner as is
customary among the persons who will use that land, so as to enable those
persons to recognise and keep to those boundaries.
(3) The purposes for which land may be set aside for common use are—
(a) the grazing and watering of livestock;
(b) hunting;
(c) the gathering of wood fuel and building materials;
(d) the gathering of honey and other forest resources for food and
medicinal purposes;
(e) such other purposes as may be traditional among the community
using the land communally.
24. Management of areas of common land use.

(1) An area of land set aside for common use shall be used and managed in
accordance with the terms of a common land management scheme.
(2) A common land management scheme shall be made by an association,
but it shall only come into effect when it is agreed to by the community on whose
behalf the association holds land.
(3) A common land management scheme may extend to cover the use and
management of more than one area of common land.
(4) A person who is not a member of the community may, with the
agreement of the association, which agreement shall not be unreasonably
withheld, use common land in accordance with the terms of the common land
management scheme applicable to that land.
(5) Where a common land management scheme is made in respect of land
held by an association under freehold, all members of the community and persons
referred to in subsection (4) shall be deemed to have the benefit and be subject
to the burden of easements and rights in the nature of easements in respect of
their use of the common land.
(6) The board may prepare and publish a model common land management
scheme; and where a model scheme has been published, an association shall have
regard to that scheme when it makes its own scheme.
25. Content of common land management scheme.

(1) A common land management scheme may include all or any of the
following matters as seems most appropriate to the association—
(a) a description of the area of common land to which it applies;
(b) where common land is to be used for the communal grazing and
watering of livestock—
(i) the numbers and type of livestock which each member of the
community may graze on the common land;
(ii) the locations within the common land where livestock may be
grazed and the times when those locations may be used for the
grazing;
(iii) the routes to and from the common land which livestock are
required to use;
(c) where the common land is to be used for hunting, the terms and
conditions on which hunting may take place, due regard being given
to the Animal Diseases Act, Cattle Grazing Act and the Uganda
Wildlife Act; and
(d) where common land is to be used for the gathering of wood fuel,
building materials and other natural resources—
(i) the amount of wood fuel, building materials and other natural
resources which any member of the community may gather for
the use of his or her homestead and his or her family;
(ii) the terms and conditions on which wood fuel and other natural
produce may be gathered for sale;
(e) a description of the management activities to be undertaken by the
association;
(f) general rules concerning access to and use of common land by
members of the community and by other persons;
(g) fees that may be charged to those using the common land, and any
such fees may differentiate between members of the community and
other persons using the common land with permission of the
association;
(h) the penalties that may be imposed on those violating the terms of
the scheme, including the grounds for excluding any person from
using the common land;
(i) the duration of the scheme;
(j) the procedures for reviewing and amending the scheme;
(k) such other matters as the members of the association may think fit
to include or as may be prescribed.
(2) There shall be deemed to be included in every scheme the basic rights
and duties of the members of the community using the common land to which
that scheme applies as set out in section 26.
26. Basic rights and duties of members of the community using

common land.
(1) The basic rights and duties of the members of a community under a
common land management scheme are as follows—
(a) the right to make reasonable use of the common land, jointly with
all other members of the group, in accordance with the terms of the
scheme;
(b) the right to gather wood fuel and building materials and harvest the
resources of the common land in accordance with the terms of the
scheme;
(c) the duty to comply with and assist in the enforcement of the rules
set out in the scheme;
(d) the right to exclude nonmembers of the group from the common
land, other than those nonmembers who have been permitted to
enter and use the common land;
(e) the duty to bear a reasonable and proportionate share of any
expenses or losses incurred in using and managing the common land
or through any natural disaster affecting the common land;
(f) the duty to support the establishment and management of a fund for
the purposes of carrying out activities on and improvements to the
common land in accordance with the terms of the scheme and to pay
into the fund any fees and penalties collected under the scheme;
(g) the duty not to transfer any rights to occupy or use or gather the
produce of any common land to any person whether for a fee or
otherwise, except in accordance with the terms of the agreement and
the rules of the scheme;
(h) the duty to comply with any decisions of the association or any
dispute settlement body established by the association to settle
disputes arising from the management of the scheme;
(i) such other basic rights and duties as may be proposed by the
association and agreed to by the community.
(2) Any person aggrieved by a decision of an association made in
connection with the management of a scheme may appeal against that decision
to the District Land Tribunal; and the District Land Tribunal may confirm, vary,
reverse or modify the decision of the association and make such other order in
respect of that decision as it is empowered to make by this Act.
27. Rights of women, children and persons with a disability

regarding customary land.
Any decision taken in respect of land held under customary tenure, whether in
respect of land held individually or communally, shall be in accordance with the
customs, traditions and practices of the community concerned, except that a
decision which denies women or children or persons with a disability access to
ownership, occupation or use of any land or imposes conditions which violate
articles 33, 34 and 35 of the Constitution on any ownership, occupation or use of
any land shall be null and void.
28. Conversion of leasehold into freehold.

(1) Any lease which was granted to a Ugandan citizen out of former public
land and was subsisting on the coming into force of this Act may be converted
into freehold if the board is satisfied that the following conditions have been
complied with—
(a) that the leasehold is authentic and genuine;
(b) that there were no customary tenants on the land at the time of
acquisition of the lease;
(c) that if there were any customary tenants on the land at the time of
acquisition whose tenancy was disclosed, those tenants were duly
compensated;
(d) that all development conditions and covenants have been complied
with;
(e) that any other conditions imposed by law from time to time have
been complied with; and
(f) that the conversion shall be limited to one hundred hectares and that
any area in excess of one hundred hectares shall be converted only
if the board has verified it and is satisfied that it is desirable in the
public interest that it should be converted into freehold.
(2) Where a lease of land exceeding one hundred hectares is converted into
freehold, the owner shall pay the market value as determined by the chief
government valuer for the new interest before the conversion becomes effective
and the money paid shall become part of the Land Fund.
(3) Any sublease held under a lease converted in accordance with
subsection (1) shall be taken to be upgraded to a lease under the same terms,
conditions and covenants.
(4) Upon conversion the commissioner shall endorse on the leasehold
certificate of title the words “Converted to Freehold”, cite the applicable law and
append his or her signature.
(5) - repealed -
(6) The commissioner shall have power to ask for the production of the
duplicate of the certificate of title for endorsement in accordance with subsection
(4).
(7) The commissioner shall endorse on a subleasehold deed to which
subsection (3) applies the words “Converted to Leasehold”, cite the applicable
law and append his or her signature.
(8) - repealed -
(9) For the avoidance of doubt, the commissioner shall issue a certificate of
title in respect of any sublease upgraded to a lease under this section.
(10) - repealed -
(11) Any person aggrieved by the decision of the board under this section
may appeal to the District Land Tribunal against the decision; and the District
Land Tribunal may confirm, reverse, vary or modify the decision and make such
order as it may think fit.
29. Meaning of “lawful occupant” and “bona fide occupant”.
(1) “Lawful occupant” means—
(a) a person occupying land by virtue of the repealed—
(i) Busuulu and Envujjo Law of 1928;
(ii) Toro Landlord and Tenant Law of 1937;
(iii) Ankole Landlord and Tenant Law of 1937;
(b) a person who entered the land with the consent of the registered
owner, and includes a purchaser; or
(c) a person who had occupied land as a customary tenant but whose
tenancy was not disclosed or compensated for by the registered
owner at the time of acquiring the leasehold certificate of title.
(2) “Bona fide occupant” means a person who before the coming into force
of the Constitution—
(a) had occupied and utilised or developed any land unchallenged by
the registered owner or agent of the registered owner for twelve
years or more; or
(b) had been settled on land by the Government or an agent of the
Government, which may include a local authority.
(3) In the case of subsection (2)(b)—
(a) the Government shall compensate the registered owner whose land
has been occupied by persons resettled by the Government or an
agent of the Government under the resettlement scheme;
(b) persons resettled on registered land may be enabled to acquire
registrable interest in the land on which they are settled; and
(c) the Government shall pay compensation to the registered owner
within five years after the coming into force of this Act.
(4) For the avoidance of doubt, a person on land on the basis of a licence
from the registered owner shall not be taken to be a lawful or bona fide occupant
under this section.
(5) Any person who has purchased or otherwise acquired the interest of the
person qualified to be a bona fide occupant under this section shall be taken to
be a bona fide occupant for the purposes of this Act.
30. Mediator to assist persons not qualified to be bona fide
occupants.
(1) Where a person has occupied and utilised or developed any land
unchallenged by the registered owner of the land or agent of the registered owner
for less than twelve years and therefore does not qualify to be a bona fide
occupant under section 29, that person shall take all reasonable steps to seek and
identify the registered owner of the land for the purpose of undertaking
negotiations with that owner concerning his or her occupation of the land.
(2) Where any negotiations are entered into between the occupant and the
registered owner under subsection (1) and the parties are unable, within a
prescribed time, to reach agreement in the matter of the occupation of the land,
either party may, in the prescribed manner, invite the mediator to assist them in
their negotiations.
(3) The mediator may, upon being invited under subsection (2) and after
satisfying himself or herself that there are reasonable prospects of reaching a
satisfactory agreement between the parties, accept the invitation and give all
reasonable assistance to the parties to reach an agreement on the occupation.
(4) Where, after a period of not less than three months, the Mediator
certifies that he or she is unable to assist the parties to reach an agreement under
this section or the parties or any one of them declines to make use of the services
of the Mediator, either party may appeal to the District Land Tribunal and the
District Land Tribunal may make such order as it thinks fit but if the District
Land Tribunal determines that the occupation of land to which this section refers
should come to an end, it shall give not less than one year’s notice to the occupant
of the land to vacate that land.
31. Tenant by occupancy.

(1) A tenant by occupancy on registered land shall enjoy security of
occupancy on the land.
(2) The tenant by occupancy referred to in subsection (1) shall be deemed
to be a tenant of the registered owner to be known as a tenant by occupancy,
subject to such terms and conditions as are set out in this Act or as may be
prescribed.
(3) The tenant by occupancy shall pay to the registered owner an annual
nominal ground rent as shall, with the approval of the Minister, be determined
by the Board.
(3a) The Minister shall, within sixty days after receipt of a request for
approval under subsection (3), communicate his or her decision in writing to the
Board.
(3b) Where the Minister makes no communication of his or her decision
after the expiration of the period prescribed in subsection (3a), it shall be deemed
that the approval has been given.
(3c) For purposes of this section, nominal ground rent shall mean
reasonable ground rent—
(i) taking into consideration the circumstances of each case; and
(ii) in any case, of a non-commercial nature.
(3d) Where the board has not determined the annual nominal ground rent
payable by a tenant by occupancy within six months after the commencement of
the Land (Amendment) Act 2010, the rent may be determined by the Minister.
(3e) The rent payable under this section shall be paid within one year after
the Minister has approved the rent payable under subsection (3) or determined
the rent payable under subsection (3d).
(4) The tenant and the registered owner if aggrieved by the decision of the
board may appeal against the decision to the District Land Tribunal; and the
tribunal may confirm, reverse, vary or modify the decision or make such other
orders as it is empowered to make by this Act.
(5) - repealed -
(6) If a tenant by occupancy fails to pay the approved ground rent for a
period exceeding one year, the registered owner may give a notice in the
prescribed form to the tenant requiring him or her to show cause why the tenancy
should not be terminated for nonpayment of rent and shall send a copy of the
notice to the committee.
(7) If the ground rent is not paid within one year from the date of service of
notice or the tenant by occupancy has not taken any steps within six months after
the date of service of the notice to challenge the notice by referring to the District
Land Tribunal, the registered owner may apply to the District Land Tribunal for
an order terminating the tenancy for nonpayment of the rent.
(8) - repealed -
(9) For the avoidance of doubt, the security of tenure of a lawful or bona
fide occupant shall not be prejudiced by reason of the fact that he or she does not
possess a certificate of occupancy.
32. Jurisdiction of District Land Tribunal in respect of

nonpayment of ground rent.
(1) In any case before a District Land Tribunal concerning the nonpayment
of the ground rent referred to in section 31, whether the case is commenced by a
tenant or a landlord, the District Land Tribunal shall have regard to the following
factors—
(a) whether the person claiming the ground rent is the registered owner
of the land or his or her lawfully authorised agent;
(b) whether the landlord has interfered with the quiet enjoyment by the
tenant of his or her occupation of the land or contravened in any way
section 31(1);
(c) the circumstances, means and the necessary outgoings of the tenant;
(d) whether the tenant has vacated the land, leaving dependents with no
means of support on the land;
(e) whether the nonpayment of the ground rent is deliberate;
(f) the efforts made by the tenant or the dependents referred to in
paragraph (d) to pay the ground rent;
(g) any negotiations over the arrears which have taken place between
the landlord and the tenant and their outcome;
(h) the likelihood that if the arrears were averaged out over such
reasonable period as the District Land Tribunal may determine, the
tenant or dependent referred to in paragraph (d) would be able to
pay both those arrears and the regular yearly ground rent;
(i) such other factors as the District Land Tribunal shall think relevant
or as may be prescribed.
(2) After hearing the parties to the case, the District Land Tribunal shall
make an order—
(a) directing that the tenant shall pay the arrears either in one lump sum
by a due date or in installments over such period of time as the
District Land Tribunal shall set;
(b) granting the application for the termination of the tenancy but
suspending the coming into effect of the order so as to allow the
tenant the opportunity to pay the arrears in accordance with any
order made for their payment by the District Land Tribunal; or
(c) granting the application for the termination of the tenancy stating in
the order the date, being not less than six months from the date of
the order, by which the tenant shall have vacated the land, and may
grant any such order on such conditions, if any, as to expenses,
damages, compensation or any other relevant matter as the District
Land Tribunal thinks fit.
32A. Lawful or bona fide occupants to be evicted only for non

payment of ground rent.
(1) A lawful or bona fide occupant shall not be evicted from registered land
except upon an order of eviction issued by a court and only for non payment of
the annual nominal ground rent.
(2) A court shall, before making an order of eviction under this section, take
into consideration the matters specified in section 32(1).
(3) When making an order for eviction, the court shall state in the order, the
date, being not less than six months after the date of the order, by which the
person to be evicted shall vacate the land and may grant any other order as to
expenses, damages, compensation or any other matter as the court thinks fit.
(4) For purposes of this section, the word “court” shall mean a court
presided over by a Magistrate Grade 1 or a Chief Magistrate as the case may be,
and reference to the Land Tribunal in this Act and amendments thereto shall be
interpreted accordingly.
33. Certificate of occupancy.
(1) A tenant by occupancy may apply to the registered owner for and be
issued with a certificate of occupancy in the prescribed form in respect of the
land which he or she occupies in accordance with this section.
(2) On receipt of the application, the registered owner shall notify the
committee; and the committee shall appoint a day, being not less than three
weeks and not more than three months from the date of the receipt of the
application, when it will meet at the place where the land is situated to determine,
verify and adjudicate on the boundaries to the land and shall inform the tenant
by occupancy and the owner of that date.
(3) In exercising its functions of determining, verifying and adjudicating on
the boundaries of the land, the committee shall, in the exercise of any of its
powers under this section which involve a hearing of the affected parties, comply
with the rules of natural justice and, subject to that duty, may—
(a) hear evidence which would not be admissible in a court of law;
(b) call evidence of its own motion;
(c) use evidence contained in any official record or adduced in any
other claim; and
(d) generally, determine its own procedures.
(4) A determination of the committee on the boundaries of the land shall be
sent to the tenant in occupancy and the owner of the land.
(5) A tenant in occupancy shall only be entitled to be issued with a
certificate of occupancy if he or she has paid the ground rent for the land and has
no arrears of ground rent outstanding or where there are arrears, the matter has
been determined by a decision of the District Land Tribunal under section 32.
(6) Subject to subsection (5), on receipt of the determination of the
committee, the owner shall, without undue delay, give a consent in the prescribed
form to the tenant.
(7) Where the registered owner has not, within six months after the receipt
of the determination of the committee, granted a consent to a certificate of
occupancy to the tenant by occupancy, the tenant may appeal to the District Land
Tribunal; and the District Land Tribunal shall proceed as provided for in this Act
to grant a consent to the certificate of occupancy.
(8) A grant of consent shall entitle the tenant by occupancy to be issued with
a certificate of occupancy by the recorder, and the recorder shall, on being
satisfied with the grant of consent, issue a certificate of occupancy to the tenant
by occupancy who presented the grant of consent to the recorder.
(9) The Recorder shall notify the Commissioner of the issue of a certificate
of occupancy and an encumbrance to that effect shall be endorsed on the
certificate of title by the Commissioner.
34. Transactions with the tenancy by occupancy.

(1) A tenant by occupancy may, in accordance with the provisions of this
section, assign, sublet or sub-divide the tenancy with the consent of the land
owner.
(2) A tenancy by occupancy may be inherited.
(3) Prior to undertaking any transaction to which subsection (1) refers, the
tenant by occupancy shall submit an application in the prescribed form to the
owner of the land for his or her consent to the transaction.
(4) The registered owner shall, within six weeks from the date of receipt of
the application or such longer time as may be prescribed, either grant a consent
to the transaction in the prescribed form, with or without conditions, or refuse
consent to the transaction.
(5) Where the registered owner refuses to grant consent to the transaction
or grants consent subject to conditions which the tenant by occupancy objects to
or fails within the prescribed time to give any decision on the application, the
tenant by occupancy may appeal to the District Land Tribunal against the refusal
or the conditions, as the case may be.
(6) For the purposes of appealing under this section, the failure to give a
decision referred to in subsection (5) shall be taken to be a refusal.
(7) The District Land Tribunal shall, in the exercise of its functions under
this section, grant the consent, with or without conditions which may include or
depart from conditions imposed by the owner, or refuse consent to the transaction
or may adjourn the proceedings to enable the parties to reach an agreement on
the matter.
(8) A copy of every consent, signed by the owner or, where the consent has
been granted by the District Land Tribunal, by the secretary of the tribunal, shall
be delivered or sent to the recorder who shall keep a record in the prescribed
form of all such consents.
(9) No transaction to which this section applies shall be valid and effective
to pass any interest in land if it is undertaken without a consent as provided for
in this section, and the recorder shall not make any entry on the record of any
such transaction in respect of which there is no consent.
35. Option to purchase.

(1) A tenant by occupancy who wishes to assign the tenancy shall, subject
to this section, give the first option of taking the assignment of the tenancy to the
owner of the land.
(1a) Subject to subsection (7), a tenant by occupancy who purports to assign
the tenancy by occupancy without giving the first option of taking the assignment
of the tenancy to the owner of the land commits an offence and is liable on
conviction to a fine not exceeding ninety six currency points or imprisonment
not exceeding four years or both; and the transaction shall be invalid and the
tenant shall forfeit the right over the land and the land shall revert to the
registered owner.
(2) The owner of land who wishes to sell the reversionary interest in the
land shall, subject to this section, give the first option of buying that interest to
the tenant by occupancy.
(3) Any offer made under this section shall be on a willing buyer willing
seller basis.
(4) Where an option to buy is offered to any party under subsection (1) or
(2), the party who makes the offer must set out the terms of the offer with
sufficient detail and clarity for the party to whom the offer is made to understand
the offer and make an appropriate response to it.
(5) A party to whom an offer to buy is made under subsection (1) or (2)
shall, within three months after the receipt of the offer, either refuse the offer or
make such a response as will enable meaningful negotiations to take place
between the parties.
(6) Either party to the negotiations to which subsection (5) refers may, at
any time after three months have elapsed since the negotiations commenced,
refer the matter to the mediator for him or her to assist the parties to reach an
agreement.
(7) Where the mediator is unable, after three months of negotiations, to
assist the parties to reach an agreement on the option to buy, he or she shall make
a declaration to that effect; and the party who made the offer of the option to buy
shall thereupon be enabled to assign the tenancy by occupancy or, as the case
may be, sell the reversionary interest free of the option to buy, to such other
person as he or she thinks fit.
(8) Subject to this section, a change of ownership of title effected by the
owner by sale, grant and succession or otherwise shall not in any way affect the
existing lawful interests or bona fide occupant and the new owner shall be
obliged to respect the existing interest.
36. Mutual agreement between tenant by occupancy and

registered owner.
(1) A registered owner and a tenant by occupancy may mutually agree that
the land in which a tenant by occupancy has an interest be subdivided in such
portions as the parties may agree with each party having exclusive occupancy or
ownership of such portions as may be agreed or that the parties become joint
proprietors of the land either as joint tenants or as tenants in common, and where
they agree to be tenants in common, the shares of each in the land on such terms
and conditions as they may agree.
(2) Where the parties agree to subdivide the land and become owners of
individual portions of the subdivided land or where the parties agree to become
joint proprietors of the land, they shall provide the commissioner with
documentary evidence of their agreement and certified survey plans where
applicable, and the commissioner shall—
(a) make the appropriate entries on the certificate of title of the land;
(b) issue new certificates of title to the parties;
(c) inform the recorder of the changes that must be made to the
certificate of occupancy, including where relevant the cancellation
of the certificate.
37. Abandonment and termination of occupancy.
(1) Subject to section 27, where a tenant by occupancy voluntarily abandons
his or her occupancy—
(a) the right of occupancy shall lapse;
(b) the occupant may remove any structures, buildings and other things
placed by him or her on the land but not dams or trees;
(c) the occupant is not entitled to any compensation for loss of the
occupancy.
(2) For the purposes of subsection (1), a person shall be taken to have
abandoned his or her occupancy—
(a) where he or she gives notice to the registered owner of his or her
intention to abandon the occupancy; or
(b) where he or she leaves the whole of the land unattended to by
himself or herself or a member of his or her family or his or her
authorised agent for three years or more.
(3) Where the occupant proves that he or she was under a disability during
any part of the period, the period of three years shall be extended by the period
during which disability prevented the tenant by occupancy from exercising his
or her right of occupancy and there was no member of the family and no
authorised agent who could exercise the right of occupancy on behalf of the
tenant.
(4) Where the tenant by occupancy is compelled to vacate the land by reason
of the fact that his or her building has been condemned or demolished by order
of a body or authority authorised to do so under any enactment, then where the
occupancy is in respect of land in an urban area—
(a) the occupant’s right of occupancy shall not be taken to have been
extinguished;
(b) if development is not possible, owing to planning or building
restrictions under any law, the occupant is entitled to assign his or
her right of occupancy giving the registered owner the first option;
(c) the registered owner shall have the right with the approval of the
board to acquire the right of occupancy upon payment to the
occupant of compensation for the right of occupancy and any
development of the land, determined by a valuer appointed by the
Government.
(5) The urban council within whose jurisdiction land in an urban area is
situated may determine that, subject to any existing scheme approved under the
Town and Country Planning Act, no building may be erected and no
development may be carried out on that land unless the owner and the tenants by
occupancy have agreed to a programme of planned development which has been
approved by that urban council; and any such programme of planned
development shall include arrangements for the future ownership and occupation
of the land, having regard to the provisions of this Act.
(6) A tenant by occupancy or a registered owner of land who is aggrieved
by the decision of the Board or valuation of the appointed valuer under paragraph
(iii) of subsection (4) may appeal to the District Land Tribunal.
38. Registrable interest.

- repealed -
38A. Security of occupancy.

(1) Every spouse shall enjoy security of occupancy on family land.
(2) The security of occupancy prescribed under subsection (1) means a right
to have access to and live on family land.
(3) For the purposes of subsection (2), the spouse shall in every case have a
right to use the family land and give or withhold his or her consent to any
transaction referred to in section 39, which may affect his or her rights.
(4) In this section—
“family land” means land—
(a) on which is situated the ordinary residence of a family;
(b) on which is situated the ordinary residence of the family and from
which the family derives sustenance;
(c) which the family freely and voluntarily agrees shall be treated to
qualify under paragraph (a) or (b); or
(d) which is treated as family land according to the norms, culture,
customs, traditions or religion of the family;
“ordinary residence” means the place where a person resides with some degree
of continuity apart from accidental or temporary absences; and a person
is ordinarily resident in a place when he or she intends to make that place
his or her home for an indefinite period;
“land from which a family derives sustenance” means—
(a) land which the family farms; or
(b) land which the family treats as the principal place which provides
the livelihood of the family; or
(c) land which the family freely and voluntarily agrees, shall be treated
as the family's principal place or source of income for food.
(5) For the avoidance of doubt, this section shall not apply to spouses who
are legally separated.
39. Restrictions on transfer of family land.

(1) No person shall—
(a) sell, exchange, transfer, pledge, mortgage or lease any family land;
(b) enter into any contract for the sale, exchange, transfer, pledging,
mortgage or lease of any family land; or
(c) give away any family land, inter vivos, or enter into any other
transaction in respect of family land;
except with the prior consent of his or her spouse.
(2) The consent required under subsection (1) shall be in the manner
prescribed by regulations made under this Act.
(3) Subsection (1) of this section shall not apply to any transfer of land by
the mortgagee in exercise of powers under the mortgage.
(4) Where any transaction is entered into by a purchaser in good faith and
for value without notice that subsection (1) of this section has not been complied
with, the transaction shall be void but the purchaser shall have the right to claim
from any person with whom he or she entered into the transaction, any money
paid or any consideration given by him or her in respect of the transaction.
(5) A consent referred to in subsection (1) shall not be unreasonably
withheld.
(6) Where the consent required by subsection (1) is withheld, a person
aggrieved by the withholding of the consent may appeal to the District Land
Tribunal and the Tribunal shall require the spouse to show cause why the spouse
cannot give consent and may, in its discretion, dispense with the consent.
(7) A spouse, not being the owner of the land to which subsection (1)
applies, may lodge a caveat on the certificate of title, certificate of occupancy or
certificate of customary ownership of the person who is the owner of the land to
indicate that the property is subject to the requirement of consent under
subsection (1).
(8) Notwithstanding subsection (2) of section 149 of the Registration of
Titles Act, a caveat referred to in subsection (7) shall not lapse while the
caveator’s right to security of occupancy subsists.
(9) For purposes of subsection (4)—
(a) “notice” means actual or constructive notice;
(b) “purchaser” means a grantee, lessee, sub-lessee, assignee,
mortgagee, chargee or other person who acquires an estate or an
interest or right in the land
40. Acquisition of land by a noncitizen.

(1) Subject to article 237(2)(c) of the Constitution, a noncitizen may acquire
a lease in land in accordance with this section.
(2) A lease of five years or more acquired by a noncitizen shall be registered
in accordance with the Registration of Titles Act.
(3) A noncitizen shall not be granted a lease exceeding ninety-nine years.
(4) Subject to the other provisions of this section, a noncitizen shall not
acquire or hold mailo or freehold land.
(5) For the avoidance of doubt, any non-citizen who immediately before the
coming into force of the Constitution held land as lessee on conversion within
the meaning of the Land Reform Decree, 1975 shall be deemed to have continued
to hold a lease for ninety nine years from the first day of June, 1975.
(6) Any citizen who holds land under freehold or mailo tenure and who
ceases to be a citizen of Uganda, shall by virtue of ceasing to be a citizen, cease
to hold land under freehold or mailo tenure and any such tenure shall
automatically and without any other legal requirement than this subsection, be
converted into a lease for a period of ninety nine years from the date of that
person ceasing to be a citizen of Uganda.
(7) For the purposes of this section, “noncitizen” means—
(a) a person who is not a citizen of Uganda as defined by the
Constitution and the Uganda Citizenship Act;
(b) in the case of a corporate body, a corporate body in which the
controlling interest lies with noncitizens;
(c) in the case of bodies where shares are not applicable, where the
body’s decision making lies with noncitizens;
(d) a company in which the shares are held in trust for noncitizens;
(e) a company incorporated in Uganda whose articles of association do
not contain a provision restricting transfer or issue of shares to
noncitizens.
(8) For purposes of subsection (7), “controlling interest” means—
(a) in the case of companies with shares, the majority shares are held
by persons who are not citizens; and
(b) in the case of companies without shares, a company in which
decisions are arrived at by the majority of members who are not
citizens.
41. Land Fund.

(1) There shall be a fund to be known as the Land Fund.
(2) Subject to the provisions of this section, the Commission shall be
responsible for the management of the Fund, and may contract out the
management of any part of the Fund to an organisation in the public or private
sector; but no such contract shall absolve the Commission from the responsibility
of management.
(3) The monies to form part of the Land Fund shall be derived from the
following sources—
(a) monies appropriated by Parliament;
(b) loans obtained by the Government;
(c) grants from any donors;
(d) any monies paid into the fund under this Act;
(e) any other source approved by the Minister in writing in consultation
with the Minister responsible for finance.
(4) The fund shall be utilised as follows—
(a) to give loans to tenants by occupancy to enable them to acquire
registrable interests pursuant to article 237(9)(b) of the Constitution;
(b) by the Government to purchase or acquire registered land to enable
tenants by occupancy to acquire registrable interests pursuant to the
Constitution;
(c) to resettle persons who have been rendered landless by Government
action, natural disaster or any other cause;
(d) to assist persons to acquire titles under this Act in accordance with
a prescribed scheme.
(5) For the purposes of giving effect to subsection (4), the commission shall,
in particular, carry out the following functions—
(a) give loans to lawful or bona fide occupants to enable them to acquire
registrable interests pursuant to article 237(9)(b) of the Constitution;
(b) purchase or acquire land where necessary in order to redistribute it
to the tenants in occupancy on such terms and conditions as shall be
determined by the commission;
(c) verify and distribute the land referred to in paragraph (b) of this
subsection to the tenants by occupancy;
(d) cause and facilitate the holding under paragraph (c) of this
subsection to be surveyed and the occupant to acquire a registrable
interest of the holding;
(e) give loans to other persons to enable them to have their land
surveyed for the purpose of acquiring certificates of title;
(f) perform such other functions as provided in this Act or as the
Minister may in writing determine.
(6) Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary in the Land Acquisition
Act—
(a) any compulsory acquisition of land for purposes of implementing
subsection (4)(b) shall be at a fair market valuation assessed on a
willing seller willing buyer basis;
(b) no person from whom land is to be acquired under this section shall
be required to vacate that land until he or she has received the
compensation awarded to, or agreed to, by him or her;
(c) the commission shall pay compensation for any losses caused by
severance or injurious affection;
(d) the commission shall pay all reasonable costs of disturbance to the
person from whom land is to be acquired; and
(e) in the case of land occupied under customary tenure, in addition to
compensation assessed under this section, there shall be paid as a
disturbance allowance a sum not exceeding 15 percent of the sum
awarded to the person from whom land is to be acquired where that
person was using the land as his or her home.
(7) The statutory and administrative charges such as fees and stamp duty
shall be payable by the tenant in occupancy and shall not be paid out of the fund.
(8) The commission shall ensure that as far as possible the officers and other
employees of the commission who are allocated to the affairs of the Land Fund
are identifiable and devote their attention exclusively to the affairs of the fund.
(9) Subject to this section, the administrative costs of managing the Land
Fund shall be charged on the fund, but salaries and other emoluments shall not
be payable out of the fund.
(10) The Minister shall ensure that monies are provided for the Land Fund
and ensure that the fund is duly established within one year after the coming into
force of this Act.
(11) The commission shall maintain separate accounts for the Land Fund
from its other accounts.
(12) The accounts of the Land Fund shall be audited by the Auditor General
in accordance with article 163 of the Constitution, and the Auditor General shall
report to Parliament on the accounts of the fund under article 163(4) of the
Constitution.
(13) The commission shall submit to the Minister once in every six months
a report on its operations in the management of the Land Fund giving such
information on the affairs of the fund as the Minister may specify in writing.
(14) The Minister shall submit progress reports to Parliament annually on
the performance of the Land Fund.
PART III—CONTROL OF LAND USE.

42. Acquisition of land by the Government.
The Government or a local government may acquire land in accordance with
articles 26 and 237(2) of the Constitution.
43. Utilisation of land according to various laws.

A person who owns or occupies land shall manage and utilise the land in
accordance with the Forests Act, the Mining Act, the National Environment Act,
the Water Act, the Uganda Wildlife Act and any other law.
44. Control of environmentally sensitive areas.

(1) The Government or a local government shall hold in trust for the people
and protect natural lakes, rivers, ground water, natural ponds, natural streams,
wetlands, forest reserves, national parks and any other land reserved for
ecological and touristic purposes for the common good of the citizens of Uganda.
(2) A local government may, upon request to the Government, be allowed
to hold in trust for the people and the common good of the citizens of Uganda
any of the resources referred to in subsection (1).
(3) Any resource that is not covered under subsection (1) which is identified
after the coming into force of this Act may, upon request to the Government and
with the approval of Parliament, be held in trust for the people and for the
common good of the citizens of Uganda by a local government.
(4) The Government or a local government shall not lease out or otherwise
alienate any natural resource referred to in this section.
(5) The Government or a local government may grant concessions or
licences or permits in respect of a natural resource referred to in this section
subject to any law.
(6) Parliament or any other authority empowered by Parliament may from
time to time review any land held in trust by the Government or a local
government whenever the community in the area or district where the reserved
land is situated so demands.
45. Land use planning and zoning.

Any use of the land shall conform to the provisions of the Town and Country
Planning Act and any other law.
PART IV—LAND MANAGEMENT.

Uganda Land Commission.
46. Establishment of the commission.

(1) There shall be a commission to be known as the Uganda Land
Commission.
(2) The commission shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession
and a common seal and may sue or be sued in its corporate name.
47. Membership of the commission.

(1) The commission shall consist of a chairperson and not less than four
other members appointed by the President with the approval of Parliament.
(2) A person shall not qualify for appointment as a member of the
commission unless the person—
(a) is of or above the age of twenty-one years;
(b) is of sound mind;
(c) is of high moral character and proven integrity;
(d) has not been convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude; or
(e) has not been declared bankrupt.
(3) At least two of the members referred to in subsection (1) shall be persons
with qualifications and experience in matters related to land.
(4) At least one of the members referred to in subsection (1) shall be a
woman.
(5) A person holding office as a member of Parliament or a member of a
local government council shall relinquish the office upon appointment as a
member of the commission in accordance with article 238 of the Constitution.
48. Tenure of office.

(1) The members of the commission shall hold office for a period of five
years and shall be eligible for reappointment for a further one term.
(2) A member of the commission may be removed from office by the
President only for—
(a) inability to perform the functions of his or her office arising from
infirmity of body or mind;
(b) misbehaviour or misconduct; or
(c) incompetence.
49. Functions of the commission.

The functions of the commission shall be to—
(a) hold and manage any land in Uganda which is vested in or acquired
by the Government in accordance with the Constitution;
(b) where applicable, hold and manage any land acquired by the
Government abroad, except that the commission may delegate the
management of such land to Uganda’s missions abroad;
(c) procure certificates of title for any land vested in or acquired by the
Government;
(d) perform such other functions as may be prescribed by or under this
Act or any other enactment.
50. Secretary and other officers of the commission.
(1) There shall be a secretary to the commission who shall be a public
officer appointed by the President on the advice of the Public Service
Commission upon such terms and conditions as may be specified in the letter of
appointment.
(2) The secretary shall be a person with knowledge and experience in
matters related to land.
(3) The secretary shall not be a member of the commission but shall conduct
the correspondence of the commission, keep records and perform such other
functions as the commission may direct.
(4) The secretary shall keep custody of the seal of the commission.
(5) The commission shall have such other officers and employees as may
be necessary for the discharge of its functions, and those officers or employees
shall be appointed by the Public Service Commission on such terms and
conditions as may be specified in their letters of appointment.
51. Meetings of the commission.

(1) The chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the commission and
shall, in addition to his or her deliberative vote, have a casting vote.
(2) Where the chairperson is absent from any meeting of the commission,
the members present shall elect one of their number to preside; and the member
so elected shall have the powers and perform the functions of the chairperson.
(3) The commission shall meet for the discharge of its functions under this
Act at least once in every two months at such place and time as the chairperson
shall appoint.
(4) The quorum at any meeting of the commission shall be three, and any
decision of the commission shall be by consensus; but if there is no consensus it
shall be by the majority of members present and voting.
(5) Subject to this Act, the commission may regulate its own procedure.
52. Authentication of common seal, etc.
(1) The common seal of the commission shall be authenticated by the
signature of the chairperson or of some other member authorised by the
commission in writing, and the signature of the secretary.
(2) Any order or decision of the commission shall be in writing and signed
by—
(a) the chairperson; or
(b) any other member duly authorised by it in writing; and
(c) the secretary.
(3) Any instrument or contract which does not require to be under seal, may
be entered into and executed on behalf of the commission by any member or
agent duly authorised in writing by the commission for the purpose.
(4) Any document presented in evidence as—
(a) an instrument executed or issued by the commission and sealed with
the common seal of the commission and authenticated in the manner
prescribed in subsection (1);
(b) an order or decision of the commission and signed in the manner
prescribed in subsection (2); or
(c) an instrument or contract of the kind referred to in subsection (3)
and entered into and executed on behalf of the commission in the
manner prescribed in that subsection,
shall be received in evidence and be presumed to be so executed, so signified and
entered into on behalf of the commission without further proof unless the
contrary is shown.
53. Powers of the commission.

For the purpose of performing its functions under the Constitution and this Act,
the commission may—
(a) acquire by purchase or exchange or otherwise hold land rights,
easements or interests in land;
(b) erect, alter, enlarge, improve or demolish any building or other
erection on any land held by it;
(c) sell, lease or otherwise deal with the land held by it;
(d) cause surveys, plans, maps, drawings and estimates to be made by
or through its officers or agents; and
(e) do such other things as may be necessary for or incidental to the
exercise of those powers and the performance of those functions.
54. Salaries and expenses of the commission.

(1) The members of the commission shall be paid such salaries and
allowances as may be specified in their letters of appointment, and the salaries
and allowances shall be charged on the Consolidated Fund.
(2) All expenses incurred by or on behalf of the commission in connection
with or incidental to the performance of its functions under this Act shall be paid
for out of funds appropriated by Parliament.
55. Commission to conform to Government policy.

(1) In the performance of its functions under the Constitution and this Act,
the commission shall conform to the policy of the Government in relation to land
matters.
(2) Subject to the Constitution, the Minister may, without prejudice to any
other powers he or she may have under this Act, give to the commission such
policy directions as are necessary to ensure compliance with subsection (1), and
the commission shall give effect to the directions.
District land boards.
56. Establishment of district land boards.

(1) There shall be for each district a district land board.
(2) The board shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a
common seal and may sue or be sued in its corporate name.
57. Membership of a board.

(1) Subject to a minimum membership of five, a board shall consist of the
following persons—
(a) a chairperson;
(b) one member representing municipal councils;
(c) one member representing urban councils;
(d) at least one member from each county in the district.
(2) No person shall qualify to be appointed as a member of a board if the
person—
(a) is less than eighteen years of age;
(b) is of unsound mind;
(c) is a member of Parliament;
(d) has been convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude; or
(e) has been declared bankrupt.
(3) At least one-third of the members referred to in subsection (1) shall be
women.
(4) At least one of the members of a board shall be a person with
qualifications and experience in matters relating to land.
(5) A person holding office as a member of a local government council shall
relinquish the office upon appointment as a member of a board.
58. Tenure of office of members of a board.

(1) The members of a board shall hold office for a period of five years and
may be eligible for reappointment for a further one term.
(2) A member of a board may be removed from office by the district council
on the recommendation of the district executive committee only for—
(b) misbehaviour or misconduct;
(c) incompetence; or
(d) absenting himself or herself from meetings of the board for six
consecutive times without reasonable cause.
59. Functions of a board.

(1) The functions of a board shall be to—
(a) hold and allocate land in the district which is not owned by any
person or authority;
(b) facilitate the registration and transfer of interests in land;
(c) take over the role and exercise the powers of the lessor in the case
of a lease granted by a former controlling authority;
(d) cause surveys, plans, maps, drawings and estimates to be made by
or through its officers or agents;
(e) compile and maintain a list of rates of compensation payable in
respect of crops, buildings of a nonpermanent nature and any other
thing that may be prescribed;
(f) review every year the list of rates of compensation referred to in
paragraph (e) of this subsection; and
(g) deal with any matter which is incidental or connected to the other
functions referred to in this subsection.
(1a) Where a board enters into or undertakes or concludes any such
transaction or allocates land in contravention of subsection (1)(a), the transaction
shall be void.
(2) A board within a district may, in the performance of its functions under
of article 241(1)(a) of the Constitution, do so under the name of the institution of
a traditional leader or cultural leader existing under article 246 of the
Constitution in relation to that district.
(3) For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in subsection (2) shall be construed
as conferring on the traditional leader or cultural leader referred to in that
subsection the power of direction or control over the board.
(4) In carrying out its functions under subsection (1)(a), a board shall have
regard to article 237(1) of the Constitution.
(5) A board shall, in compiling a list of rates of compensation referred to in
subsection (1)(e) and (f), consult the technical officers in the district.
(6) Each district shall have a district land office, which shall provide
technical services through its own staff, or arrange for external consultants to the
Board.
(7) - deleted -
(8) The board shall hold in trust for the citizens the reversion on any lease
to which subsection (1)(c) relates and may exercise in relation to the lease and
the reversion the powers of a controlling authority under the Public Lands Act,
1969, as if that Act has not been repealed; but subject to the foregoing, that Act
shall, in respect of any such lease or reversion, have effect with such
modifications as may be necessary to give effect to this Act and shall be subject
to the provisions of the Constitution.
60. Powers of a board.

(1) In the performance of its functions, a district land board shall be
independent of the Uganda Land Commission and shall not be subject to the
direction or control of any person or authority but shall take into account the
national and district council policy on land and the particular circumstances of
different systems of customary land tenure within the district.
(2) A board shall have power to—
(a) acquire by purchase or otherwise rights or interests in land and
easements;
(b) erect, alter, enlarge, improve or demolish any building or other
erection on any land held by it;
(c) sell, lease or otherwise deal with the land held by it; and
(d) do and perform all such other acts, matters and things as may be
necessary for or incidental to the exercise of those powers and the
performance of those functions.
(3) In the performance of its functions, a district land board shall prepare
and publish an annual report and shall have regard to any comments that the
district council may make on that annual report.
61. Secretary to a board, etc.

(1) There shall be a secretary to a board who shall be a public officer
appointed by the district service commission.
(2) The secretary shall be a person with knowledge and experience in
matters relating to land.
(3) The secretary to a board shall conduct the correspondence of the board,
keep records and custody of the seal of the board and perform such other
functions as the board may direct.
(4) A board shall have such support staff as may be recruited for the purpose
in accordance with the public service regulations.
62. Meetings of a board.

(1) The chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the board and shall, in
addition to his or her deliberative vote, have a casting vote.
(2) Where the chairperson is absent from any meeting of the board, the
members present shall elect one of their number to preside; and the member so
elected shall have the powers and perform the functions of the chairperson and
shall have a casting vote.
(3) A board shall meet for the discharge of its functions under this Act at
least once in every two months at such place and time as the chairperson shall
appoint.
(4) The quorum at any meeting of a board shall be three.
(5) Any decision of a board shall be arrived at by consensus and, in case of
a contentious issue, by a majority vote.
(6) Subject to this Act, a board may regulate its own procedure.
63. Expenses of a board, remuneration of members and audit.

(1) All expenses of a board shall be charged on the district administration
funds.
(2) Members of the Board shall be remunerated and paid allowances out of
the Consolidated Fund.
(3) The accounts of a board shall be audited annually.
Land committees.
64. Establishment of land committees.

(1) A District Council, on the advice of the Sub-county or Division Council,
may, in accordance with this section, appoint a Land Committee at Sub-County
or Division level which shall exercise the functions conferred on a Committee
by this Act or any other law.
(2) A Committee appointed under this section shall consist of a Chairperson
and four other persons who shall serve on a part time basis.
(3) A person holding office as a member of a local government council shall
relinquish that office upon appointment as a member of a Committee.
(4) A member of a Committee shall hold office for a period of three years
and is eligible for re-appointment for one further term.
(5) A District Council may terminate the appointment of a member of a
Committee for his or her inability to perform the functions of his or her office,
or for good cause.
(6) In determining whether to appoint a Committee, the District Council
shall have regard to—
(a) any request from any of the areas referred to in subsection (1) for
which a Committee may be appointed and in particular, whether any
request is for a Committee to be appointed to perform the functions
allocated to a Committee in Part II of this Act;
(b) the extent of the demand, if any, from the people within the areas
referred to in subsection (1) for any of the services which they may
apply for under Part II of this Act;
(c) whether any of the areas referred to in subsection (1) indicate that
they are prepared to assist in the funding of the Committee;
(d) the opinions of any of the bodies referred to in subsection (1), on
whose recommendation the District Council is to appoint the
members of a Committee;
(e) the state of the finances of the District Council;
(f) the economic and social benefits of appointing and costs of not
appointing a Committee in any particular area; and
(g) any advice and guidance from the Ministry responsible for local
government which shall, before issuing any such advice and
guidance, consult with and take account of, the views of the
Ministry responsible for land.
(7) A Committee shall assist the Board in an advisory capacity on matters
relating to land including ascertaining rights in land and shall perform any other
functions conferred on it by this Act or any other law.
(8) Where a Committee has been appointed, it may, with the agreement of
the parties to a dispute about land, act as a Mediator in that dispute and when
acting as a Mediator, a Committee shall have all the functions of a Mediator set
out in section 89 of this Act and as may be prescribed.
65. Qualification for appointment as member of a committee.

(1) A person shall qualify for appointment as a member of the committee
if—
(a) he or she is thirty years of age or more;
(b) he or she has not been convicted of an offence involving moral
turpitude; and
(c) in the case of the chairperson, he or she is able to speak and write
English.
(2) At least one of the members referred to in section 64 shall be a woman.
(3) At least one of the members referred to in section 64 shall be a person
with knowledge and experience in matters relating to land.
66. Remuneration of members of committees.

(1) A member of the committee shall be paid such remuneration as may be
determined by the district council on the recommendation of the district
executive committee.
(2) All expenses incurred by or on behalf of the committee shall be charged
on the district administration funds.
67. Meetings of the committee.
(1) The chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the committee and shall,
in addition to the chairperson’s deliberative vote, have a casting vote.
(2) Where the chairperson is absent from any meeting of the committee, the
members present shall elect one of their number to preside over the meeting, and
the person shall have a casting vote in addition to his or her deliberative vote.
(3) The quorum of the committee shall be three.
(4) Proceedings and decisions of the committee shall be in writing and the
records shall be kept.
(5) A decision of the committee shall be reached by consensus and in case
of a contentious matter by majority vote.
(6) The records and instruments of the committee shall be kept by the
chairperson.
(7) Subject to this Act, the committee may regulate its own procedure.
68. Recorder.
(1) There shall, for the purposes of sections 7 and 33, be a recorder for each
subcounty, each gazetted area and each division in the case of a city, who shall
be answerable to the board.
(2) The recorder shall be responsible for keeping records relating to
certificates of customary ownership and certificates of occupancy.
(3) For the purposes of subsection (1), in the case of—
(a) a rural area, the subcounty chief shall be the recorder;
(b) a gazetted urban area, the town clerk shall be the recorder;
(c) a division of a city, the assistant town clerk in charge of the division
shall be the recorder.
(4) A copy of each certificate referred to in subsection (2) shall be deposited
with the Board which shall accordingly lodge it as an encumbrance on the
respective title.
General powers of disposal and rights.
69. General powers of disposal.

Subject to this Act, the commission or a board shall have power to grant estates
and create rights or interests in land and to manage, dispose of and otherwise
deal with the estate or interest in relation to land vested in it.
70. Water rights.

(1) Subject to section 44, all rights in the water of any natural spring, river,
stream, watercourse, pond, or lake on or under land, whether alienated or
unalienated, shall be reserved to the Government; and no such water shall be
obstructed, dammed, diverted, polluted or otherwise interfered with, directly or
indirectly, except in pursuance of permission in writing granted by the Minister
responsible for water or natural resources in accordance with the Water Act.
(2) Nothing in this section shall prevent the reasonable use by an occupier
of land of any waters referred to in subsection (1) for domestic, small-scale
agricultural, or pastoral purposes.
71. Rights of way.

All land, whether alienated or unalienated, shall be subject to all existing public
rights of way which shall be reserved to and vested in the Government on behalf
of the public; and all such rights of way shall be maintained by the public
uninterrupted unless they are terminated or altered by the direction of the
Minister in writing.
72. Rights of officials to encamp.

(1) Where any officer of the Government necessarily and unavoidably in
order to carry out his or her duties needs to enter private land, he or she may
enter, giving not less than three days’ notice of the proposed entry to the owner
or occupier of the land.
(2) A person who exercises the right conferred upon him or her by
subsection (1) shall, if so required by the occupier of the land in respect of which
the right is exercised, establish his or her encampment in such suitable place as
the occupier may select.
(3) The Government shall pay promptly—
(a) a reasonable fee to the owner or occupier of the land for every day
that the land is encamped upon under this section, and any such fee
shall include payment for any produce or other things taken from
the land with the permission of the owner or occupier;
(b) for all damage caused to the land or anything attached to or forming
part of the land or any moveable property on the land or anything
wrongly taken away from the land by the actions of any person
encamped upon the land under this section,
and an owner or occupier may appeal to the District Land Tribunal against any
failure by the Government to comply with this section.
(4) A person who, being the occupier of any land, refuses to allow a person
to exercise a right conferred upon him or her by subsection (1) or wilfully
interferes with or obstructs the exercise of any such right, commits an offence
and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding five currency points or
imprisonment not exceeding six months or both.
(5) This section shall not apply to the encampment of any authorised
security forces.
73. Execution of public works.

(1) Where it is necessary to execute public works on any land, an authorised
undertaker shall enter into mutual agreement with the occupier or owner of the
land in accordance with this Act; and where no agreement is reached, the
Minister may, compulsorily acquire land in accordance with section 42.
(2) Where under subsection (1), an authorised undertaker executes public
works upon or takes stone, murram or similar material from the land, the
authorised undertaker shall have over the land such rights of access and other
rights as may be reasonably necessary for the execution, construction and
maintenance of the works or, as the case may be, the taking of the material; and
the land shall be deemed to be subject to those rights whether or not they have
been registered under the Registration of Titles Act.
(3) An authorised undertaker executing public works on land under this
section shall promptly pay compensation to any person having an interest in the
land for any damage caused to crops or buildings and for the land and materials
taken or used for the works.
(4) Any dispute as to compensation payable under subsection (3) shall be
referred to a District Land Tribunal.
PART V—DISTRICT LAND TRIBUNALS.

District Land Tribunals.
74. District Land Tribunals.

(1) There shall be a tribunal in each district to be known as the District Land
Tribunal, which shall consist of a Chairperson and two other members, and
which shall sit from time to time to hear and determine disputes concerning land
matters within the district.
(2) The chairperson shall be a person qualified to be a magistrate grade I.
(3) The other members of the District Land Tribunal shall be persons with
knowledge and experience in land matters.
(4) A person shall not qualify for appointment as a member of the District
Land Tribunal unless the person—
(a) is a person of the age of thirty years or more;
(b) is of sound mind;
(c) is of high moral character and proven integrity;
(d) has not been convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude;
(e) has not been declared bankrupt.
(5) Members of District Land Tribunals shall be appointed by the Chief
Justice on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission.
(6) Members of District Land Tribunals shall be paid such salaries and
allowances as may be determined by the Public Service Commission on the
recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission, and those salaries or
allowances shall be charged on the Consolidated Fund.
(7) The Chairperson of a District Land Tribunal shall be appointed on a full-
time basis.
(8) The other members of the Tribunal shall be appointed on a part-time
basis.
75. Tenure of office of members of District Land Tribunals.

(1) Members of District Land Tribunals shall hold office for a period of five
years and may be eligible for reappointment.
(2) A member of a District Land Tribunal may be removed from office by
the Chief Justice only for—
(b) misbehaviour or misconduct;
(c) incompetence;
(d) absence from at least five consecutive meetings of the tribunal
without lawful excuse;
(e) having been convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude; or
(f) having been declared bankrupt.
76. Jurisdiction of District Land Tribunals.

(1) The jurisdiction of a District Land Tribunal shall be to—
(a) determine disputes relating to the grant, lease, repossession, transfer
or acquisition of land by individuals, the commission or other
authority with responsibility relating to land;
(b) determine any dispute relating to the amount of compensation to be
paid for land acquired under section 42;
(c) determine disputes as the court of first instance in all land matters
where the subject matter does not exceed two thousand five hundred
currency points;
(d) - deleted -
(e) determine any other dispute relating to land under this Act.
(2) In the exercise of jurisdiction over land matters provided for by this
section, a District Land Tribunal shall have the power to grant decrees of specific
performance and issue injunctions and generally shall have the power to grant
such relief, make such orders and give such decisions against the operation of
any action, notice, order, decree or declaration made by any official or any board
or any committee or any association or the commission, as the circumstances of
the case require, and without limiting the generality of that power, may—
(a) cancel any action, notice, order, decree or declaration;
(b) vary the operation of any action, notice, order, decree or declaration;
(c) postpone the operation of any action, notice, order, decree or
declaration;
(d) substitute a different decision for the one determined by any official,
board, committee, association or the commission;
(e) confirm any action, notice, order, decree or declaration made,
notwithstanding that some procedural errors took place during the
making of that action, notice, order, decree or declaration if the
District Land Tribunal is satisfied that—
(i) the person applying for relief was made fully aware of the
substance of the action, notice, order, decree or declaration;
and
(ii) no injustice will be done by confirming that action, notice,
order, decree or declaration, and
may grant that relief and all other orders made and decisions given on such
conditions if any, as to expenses, damages, compensation or any other relevant
matter as the District Land Tribunal considers fit.
(3) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, a District Land Tribunal
shall not make an order for cancellation of entries in a certificate of title and
vesting title, but shall refer such cases to the High Court for the necessary
consequential orders..
76A. Modification of Cap. 8.

(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 5, 7 and 29 of the Executive
Committees (Judicial Powers) Act, the Parish or Ward Executive Committee
Courts shall be the courts of first instance in respect of land disputes.
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 28(2)(c) of the Executive
Committees (Judicial Powers) Act, appeals on land matters from Division or
Sub-County Executive Committee Courts shall lie to the respective District Land
Tribunal and from the latter to the High Court and accordingly section 28(2)(c)
of that Act shall not apply under this Act.
77. Computation of compensation.

(1) The District Land Tribunal shall, in assessing compensation referred to
in section 76(1)(b) take into account the following—
(a) in the case of a customary owner, the value of land shall be the open
market value of the unimproved land;
(b) the value of the buildings on the land, which shall be taken at open
market value for urban areas and depreciated replacement cost for
the rural areas;
(c) the value of standing crops on the land, excluding annual crops
which could be harvested during the period of notice given to the
tenant.
(2) In addition to compensation assessed under this section, there shall be
paid as a disturbance allowance 15 percent or, if less than six months’ notice to
give up vacant possession is given, 30 percent of any sum assessed under
subsection (1).
(3) The rates set out in the list of rates of compensation referred to in section
59(1)(e) shall be used in determining the amount of compensation payable.
78. Rules of procedure.
(1) The District Land Tribunal shall apply rules of procedure made by the
Chief Justice, who shall take into account the need to have rules of evidence with
such modifications as are necessary to ensure the expeditious disposal of land
disputes.
(2) - deleted -
79. Assistant Registrar of District Land Tribunal.

(1) A District Land Tribunal shall have an Assistant Registrar who shall be
a person qualified to be an advocate of the Courts of Judicature.
(2) The Assistant Registrar shall be in charge of the Registry of the District
Land Tribunal and in particular shall carry out the following functions—
(a) receive and register applications, notices of decisions and all
documents or things relating to applications;
(b) issue and serve notices and summons of the Tribunal;
(c) issue interim orders in the absence of the Chairperson;
(d) keep all documents, books, things or records of the proceedings of
the Tribunal;
(e) taxation of costs; and
(f) perform such other functions as the District Land Tribunal may
direct.
(3) In the exercise of his or her functions under this section, the Assistant
Registrar shall comply with the advice and guidance of the Registrar of District
Land Tribunals under section 79A of this Act.
79A. Registration of District Land Tribunals

(1) There shall be a Registrar of the District Land Tribunals who shall co-
ordinate and monitor the activities of the District Land Tribunals.
(2) A person shall not be qualified to be appointed a Registrar unless he or
she is qualified to be appointed as a Registrar of the High Court.
79B. Management of administrative affairs of Tribunal

(1) A Chairperson of a District Land Tribunal shall be responsible for the
administration of the Tribunal.
(2) In the administration of the District Land Tribunal, the Chairperson shall
be assisted by the Assistant Registrar of the Tribunal and such other officers and
employees as may be necessary for the efficient discharge of the District Land
Tribunal’s functions.
79C. Existing Officers
(1) A Secretary of a District Land Tribunal appointed before the
commencement of this section shall be deemed to be a duly appointed officer
acting under the equivalent office under this Act.
(2) For the avoidance of doubt, subject to the provisions of this Act, every
person who immediately before the commencement of this section held or was
acting in any office established by or by virtue of this Act, so far as it is consistent
with the provisions of this section, shall be taken to have been appointed as from
the coming into force of this section, to hold or act in the equivalent office under
this Act.
79D. Supervisory powers over land tribunals

(1) The general powers of supervision over District Land Tribunals and the
office of the Registrar of District Land Tribunals under this Act shall be exercised
by the Chief Registrar of the High Court.
(2) All assets, liabilities and monies for the operation of District Land
Tribunals and the office of the Registrar of District Land Tribunals shall be
appropriated through the Secretary to the Judiciary.
(3) All assets, liabilities and monies for the operation of District Land
Tribunals held under the management of the Ministry responsible for lands by
virtue of the provisions of this Act, as they stood at the commencement of this
section, shall be transferred to the Secretary to the Judiciary.
Subcounty and urban land tribunals, etc.
80. Subcounty land tribunals.

- repealed -
81. Land tribunals in urban areas.

- repealed -
82. Appointment of subcounty and urban land tribunals.
- repealed -
83. Tenure of office of members of a land tribunal.

- repealed -
84. Jurisdiction of subcounty and urban land tribunals.

- repealed -
85. Rules of procedure of a land tribunal.

- repealed -
86. Remuneration of members of subcounty and urban land

tribunals.
- repealed -
87. Right of appeal.

(1) An appeal shall lie from the decision of a District Land Tribunal to the
High Court.
(2) - repealed -
(3) An appeal from the decision of a District Land Tribunal in the exercise
of its appellate jurisdiction shall lie to the High Court.
88. Customary dispute settlement and mediation.

(1) Nothing in this Part shall be taken to prevent or hinder or limit the
exercise by traditional authorities of the functions of determining disputes over
customary tenure or acting as a mediator between persons who are in dispute
over any matters arising out of customary tenure.
(2) At the commencement of a case or at any time during the hearing of the
case, a District Land Tribunal may advise the parties to the case that, in its
opinion, the nature of the case is such that the parties would be better served by
using mediation to resolve their differences than by continuing with litigation in
the tribunal; and where such an opinion has been given, the District Land
Tribunal may adjourn the case for such period as it considers fit to enable the
parties to use the services of the traditional authorities or the mediator or some
other person to mediate in the dispute.
89. Functions of the mediator.

(1) There shall be one or more mediators in each district who shall be
appointed by the District Land Tribunal and the appointment shall be on an ad
hoc basis.
(2) The mediator shall be a person of high moral character and proven
integrity who by virtue of his or her skill, knowledge, work, standing or
reputation in society is capable and likely to be able to bring parties who are in
disagreement or dispute about an issue over land arising out of any matter
provided for in this Act together to negotiate and reach a mutually satisfactory
agreement or accommodation on that matter.
(3) The mediator shall have such functions as are provided for in this Act
or as may be conferred on him or her by regulations.
(4) In the exercise of his or her functions, the mediator shall be independent
and shall not be subject to the direction or control of any other person.
(5) In exercising any functions under this Act, the mediator shall be guided
by the principles of natural justice, general principles of mediation and the
desirability of assisting the parties to reconcile their differences, understand each
other’s point of view and be prepared to compromise to reach an agreement; but
the mediator shall not compel or direct any party to a mediation to arrive at any
particular conclusion or decision on any matter the subject of the mediation.
(6) The mediator shall in each case be a person agreed to by the two parties.
(7) A mediator shall be paid such allowance as may be prescribed.
PART VI—MISCELLANEOUS.
90. Disposal of fees, etc.
(1) All rents, fees and other revenues received by a board in respect of lands
and in respect of its activities under this Act shall be paid to the district treasury
and form part of the revenues of the district administration, except that revenues
received by the board in respect of urban land shall be paid to and form part of
the revenue of the urban authority.
(2) The fees for assurance of title shall be part of the Consolidated Fund.
91. Special powers of commissioner.

(1) Subject to the Registration of Titles Act, the commissioner shall, without
referring a matter to a court or a District Land Tribunal, have power to take such
steps as are necessary to give effect to this Act, whether by endorsement or
alteration or cancellation of certificates of title, the issue of fresh certificates of
title or otherwise.
(2) The Commissioner shall, where a certificate of title or instrument—
(a) is issued in error;
(b) contains a wrong description of land or boundaries;
(c) contains an entry or endorsement made in error;
(d) contains an illegal endorsement;
(e) is illegally or wrongfully obtained; or
(f) is illegally or wrongfully retained;
give not less than twenty one day's notice, of the intention to take the appropriate
action, in the prescribed form to any party likely to be affected by any decision
made under this section.
(2a) The Commissioner shall conduct a hearing, giving the interested party
under subsection (2) an opportunity to be heard in accordance with the rules of
natural justice, but subject to that duty, shall not be bound to comply with the
rules of evidence applicable in a court of law.
(2b) Upon making a finding on the matter, the commissioner shall
communicate his or her decision in writing to the parties, giving the reasons for
the decision made, and may call for the duplicate certificate of title or instrument
for cancellation, or correction or delivery to the proper party.
(3) If a person holding a certificate of title or instrument referred to in
subsection (2) fails or refuses to produce it to the commissioner within a
reasonable time, the commissioner shall dispense with the production of it and
amend the registry copy and where necessary issue a special certificate of title to
the lawful owner.
(4) The commissioner may—
(a) correct errors in the Register Book or in entries made in it;
(b) correct errors in duplicate certificates or instruments; and
(c) supply entries omitted under this Act.
(5) The commissioner may make amendments consequent upon alterations
in names or boundaries but in the correction of any such error or making of any
such amendment shall not erase or render illegible the original words.
(6) Upon the exercise of the powers conferred on the commissioner under
subsection (5), the commissioner shall affix the date on which the correction or
amendment was made or entry supplied and shall initial it.
(7) Any error or any entry corrected or supplied under this section shall have
the same validity and effect as if the error had not been made or entry not omitted.
(8) In the exercise of any powers under this section, the commissioner
shall—
(a) give not less than twenty-one days’ notice in the prescribed form to
any party likely to be affected by any decision made under this
section;
(b) provide an opportunity to be heard to any such party to whom a
notice under paragraph (a) has been given;
(c) conduct any such hearing in accordance with the rules of natural
justice but subject to that duty, shall not be bound to comply with
the rules of evidence applicable in a court of law;
(d) give reasons for any decision that he or she may make.
(9) The commissioner shall communicate his or her decision in writing to
the parties and the committee.
(10) Any party aggrieved by a decision or action of the commissioner under
this section may appeal to the District Land Tribunal within sixty days after the
decision was communicated to that party.
(11) Where the commissioner has cancelled a certificate of title or an entry
in the Register Book, a party in whose favour the cancellation is made shall not
transfer the title until the expiry of the time within which an appeal may be
lodged; and where an appeal is lodged against the cancellation, he or she shall
not transfer the title until the determination of the appeal.
(12) The party who lodges an appeal under this section shall take steps to
ensure that the commissioner and the other party are served with the notice of
appeal.
(13) Where the person who appealed under this section fails to prosecute
the appeal, the District Land Tribunal shall, on application by any other party to
the appeal, strike out the appeal.
92. Offences and penalties.

(1) A person who—
(a) being a noncitizen, acquires land in freehold using fraudulent
means;
(b) makes a false declaration in any manner relating to land;
(c) wilfully and without the consent of the owner occupies land
belonging to another person;
(d) being a member of the District Land Tribunal, a board, a committee,
solicits or receives any payment from any person to whom any
service is rendered under this Act being payment which the member
is not authorised to collect or receive under this Act, or
(e) attempts to evict, evicts, or participates in the eviction of a lawful or
bonafide occupant from registered land without an order of eviction;
commits an offence.
(2) A person convicted of an offence specified in subsection (1)(a) is liable
to a fine not exceeding one thousand currency points or imprisonment not
exceeding three years or both.
(3) A person convicted of an offence specified in subsection (1)(b) is liable
to a fine not exceeding twenty-five currency points or imprisonment not
exceeding one year or both.
(4) A person convicted of an offence specified in subsection (1)(c) is liable
to a fine not exceeding ninety six currency points or imprisonment not exceeding
four years or both.
(5) A person who commits an offence under subsection (1)(d) is liable upon
conviction to a fine not exceeding twenty-five currency points or imprisonment
not exceeding six months or both.
(5a) A person convicted of an offence specified in subsection (1)(e) is liable
on conviction to imprisonment not exceeding seven years.
(5b) Where a person is convicted under subsection (5a), the court may—
(a) order that person to pay compensation or damages to the person who
was evicted; or
(b) make an order for restitution in favour of the person who was
evicted.
(6) A court convicting a person of an offence to which subsection (4) relates
may, in addition, issue a warrant addressed to a police officer requiring the
officer immediately and subject to such conditions as the court may impose to—
(a) enter upon the land which was the subject of the conviction;
(b) dispossess and remove from the land the person convicted together
with his or her family, dependents and servants;
(c) take possession of the land on behalf of the owner, together with
crops growing on the land and buildings and other immovable
property;
(d) hand over the property to the owner immediately after taking
possession.
(7) No order shall be made under subsection (6)(c) if the court is satisfied
that some person other than the person convicted or his or her family, dependents
or servants is in lawful possession of the land.
93. Regulations.
(1) The Minister may, by statutory instrument, make regulations for the
better carrying into effect of the provisions of this Act, and such regulations shall
be laid before Parliament within two months after publication in the Gazette.
(2) Without prejudice to the general effect of subsection (1), regulations
made under this section may—
(a) prescribe the procedure to be followed in the alienation of freehold
and leasehold and the terms and conditions of any such grant;
(b) fix fees to be charged for the preparation of any documents for or in
connection with any disposition or dealing in land;
(c) fix charges to be made by a board or commission in respect of
agreements or other documents for the occupation of land; and
(d) prescribe anything to be prescribed under this Act.
94. Power of Minister to amend Schedule.

The Minister may, with the approval of the Cabinet, by statutory instrument,
amend the Schedule to this Act.
95. Transitional provisions.

(1) An interim district land board established under section 7 of the
Constitution (Consequential Provisions) Statute shall continue in existence until
the board established by the Constitution and referred to in this Act is appointed.
(2) The board referred to in subsection (1) shall be appointed within six
months from the date of the coming into force of this Act.
(3) On the coming into force of this Act, a former controlling authority shall
cease to deal with any land matter, which was pending before it, and any such
matter shall be transferred to the board.
(4) A person whose lease had expired by the time of the coming into force
of the Constitution and who had partially or fully developed the land, shall be
entitled to a fresh grant upon application to the board.
(5) Where any case relating to a land dispute was pending before the High
Court prior to coming into force of this Act, that case shall continue to be heard
by the High Court until completion.
(6) Where any case relating to a land dispute was pending before a
magistrate’s court or an executive committee court prior to the 2nd July, 2000,
the case shall continue to be heard by the magistrate’s court or the local council
court until completion.
(7) In each district, until a District Land Tribunal is established and
commences to operate under this Act, magistrates’ courts shall continue to have
jurisdiction in land matters as they had immediately before the commencement
of this Act.
(8) Any person who immediately before 2nd July, 2000, had a right to
appeal to a magistrate’s court or an executive committee court in respect of a
land dispute but could not exercise that right owing to section 98(7) of the Land
Act, 1998, shall, notwithstanding anything to the contrary, have the right to
appeal to that court.
(9) Pending the survey and registration of land used or set aside for use by
the Government or by any other public body before the coming into force of this
Act by or to the orders of the Commission, the land occupied or used by the
Government or any other public body together with the reasonable curtilage to
that land shall remain vested in the Commission for the same estate or interest as
immediately before the enactment of this Act.
96. Saving.
Notwithstanding the repeal of the Public Lands Act, 1969, any regulations saved
under that Act shall continue in force until revoked by regulations made under
this Act.
_____
Schedule.
ss. 1, 94.
Currency point.
A currency point represents twenty thousand Uganda Shillings.
_____
History: Act 16/1998; Act 3/2001.
Cross References
Animal Diseases Act, Cap. 38.
Ankole Landlord and Tenant Law of 1937.
Busuulu and Envujjo Law of 1928.
Cattle Grazing Act, Cap. 42.
Constitution of 1995.
Constitution (Consequential Provisions) Statute, Statute 12/1996.
Executive Committees (Judicial Powers) Act, Cap. 8.
Forests Act, Cap. 146.
Land Acquisition Act, Cap. 226.
Land Act, Act 16/1998.
Land Act, Cap. 22.
Land Reform Decree, Decree 3/1975.
Magistrates Courts Act, Cap. 16.
Mining Act, Cap. 148.
Mortgage Act, Cap. 229.
National Environment Act, Cap. 153.
Public Lands Act, Act 13/1969.
Registration of Titles Act, Cap. 230.
Roads Act, Cap. 358.
Toro Landlord and Tenant Law of 1937.
Town and Country Planning Act, Cap. 246.
Uganda Citizenship Act, Cap. 65.
Uganda Wildlife Act, Cap. 200.
Water Act, Cap. 152.
1900 Uganda Agreement.
_____

Land Act 1998 As Amended CAP 227

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Land Act 1998 As Amended CAP 227

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CHAPTER 227

The Land Act, 1998.

PART II—LAND HOLDING.

PART IV—LAND MANAGEMENT.

PART V—DISTRICT LAND TRIBUNALS.

Subcounty and urban land tribunals, etc.

PART II—LAND HOLDING.

5. Functions of committee on application for certificate of

6. Procedures for application for certificate of customary

7. Functions and procedure of board on application for certificate

8. Incidents of certificate of customary ownership.

10. Application for grant of land in freehold.

11. Functions of the committee on application for freehold tenure.

12. Procedures for application for freehold tenure.

13. Functions of board on application for freehold tenure.

14. Duties of commissioner in respect of applications under

16. Meeting to form association and elect a managing committee.

17. Constitution of an association.

19. Powers of managing committee.

21. Dissolution and decertification of an association.

22. Individual holding of land created out of communal land.

23. Establishment of areas of common land use in communally-

24. Management of areas of common land use.

25. Content of common land management scheme.

26. Basic rights and duties of members of the community using

27. Rights of women, children and persons with a disability

28. Conversion of leasehold into freehold.

31. Tenant by occupancy.

32. Jurisdiction of District Land Tribunal in respect of

32A. Lawful or bona fide occupants to be evicted only for non

34. Transactions with the tenancy by occupancy.

35. Option to purchase.

36. Mutual agreement between tenant by occupancy and

38. Registrable interest.

38A. Security of occupancy.

39. Restrictions on transfer of family land.

40. Acquisition of land by a noncitizen.

41. Land Fund.

PART III—CONTROL OF LAND USE.

43. Utilisation of land according to various laws.

44. Control of environmentally sensitive areas.

45. Land use planning and zoning.

PART IV—LAND MANAGEMENT.

46. Establishment of the commission.

47. Membership of the commission.

48. Tenure of office.

49. Functions of the commission.

51. Meetings of the commission.

53. Powers of the commission.

54. Salaries and expenses of the commission.

55. Commission to conform to Government policy.

District land boards.

56. Establishment of district land boards.

57. Membership of a board.

58. Tenure of office of members of a board.

59. Functions of a board.

60. Powers of a board.

61. Secretary to a board, etc.

62. Meetings of a board.