Gen. Salim Saleh Launches Land Management Centre to Tackle Land Wrangles

KAMPALA — Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) Civil Coordinator for the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area, Edison Kirabira, has urged landowners, landlords, tenants and prospective land buyers to embrace the newly established Land Management Centre, describing it as a major step toward reducing land grabbing, fraudulent land transactions and ownership disputes across Uganda.

Kirabira made the remarks following the launch of the centre by Gen. Caleb Akandwanaho, popularly known as Salim Saleh, the Chief Coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation, at Matugga on Friday.

He described the initiative as a timely intervention aimed at strengthening land administration and protecting citizens from increasing cases of land fraud, forged land titles, illegal evictions and multiple sales of the same piece of land.

“Land remains one of Uganda’s most valuable assets, yet thousands of Ugandans continue to lose property through fraud, forged land titles and illegal transactions. The Land Management Centre will help restore confidence in land ownership and promote justice,” Kirabira said.

He noted that residents in rapidly developing areas, including Busabala and other parts of Greater Kampala, have repeatedly raised concerns over land grabbing and fraudulent transactions, making the establishment of the centre both necessary and timely.

Kirabira commended Gen. Saleh for prioritising issues affecting ordinary Ugandans, saying the initiative demonstrates leadership that responds to citizens’ concerns with practical solutions.

He added that, besides promoting wealth creation programmes, Operation Wealth Creation continues to support communities by addressing land conflicts, youth unemployment and poverty alleviation.

The Land Management Centre was officially commissioned by the State Minister for Local Government, Balaam Barugahara, who praised Gen. Saleh for championing reforms intended to protect landowners and investors.

Barugahara said land disputes have become one of Uganda’s biggest challenges, often resulting in prolonged court battles, violence and loss of livelihoods.

“The establishment of this centre is intended to curb land grabbing and ensure that Ugandans access reliable guidance on land ownership, documentation and dispute resolution,” he said.

He urged the public, including National Resistance Movement (NRM) cadres in Luweero District led by Hajji Abdul Nadduli, to seek professional guidance before purchasing land. He also encouraged stakeholders to support government efforts aimed at improving land governance.

Barugahara further tasked digital content creators and members of the Federation of Uganda Social Media Influencers with spearheading public awareness campaigns on responsible land ownership, proper documentation and lawful land transactions through TikTok, YouTube and print media platforms.

Speaking at the event, lawyer Sylvia Muwebwa welcomed the initiative, saying it would help reduce conflicts arising from unclear land ownership while strengthening public confidence in Uganda’s land administration system.

According to Muwebwa, the Land Management Centre will focus on strengthening sustainable land management, improving land administration systems, promoting integrated land-use planning, supporting orderly urban development, improving housing delivery, and reinforcing the policy, legal and institutional frameworks governing land administration.

She noted that the initiative complements ongoing government reforms under the Land Sub-Programme.

In recent years, government has enacted the Valuation Act, implemented National Valuation Standards, strengthened the Uganda National Land Information System with additional security features, issued more than 193,000 land titles, mediated hundreds of land disputes, cancelled illegally issued land titles in wetlands and forest reserves, and carried out systematic land adjudication in several districts.

The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development has also strengthened land surveys, introduced digital land management systems and begun preparations for blockchain and artificial intelligence-based enhancements to the national land registry to improve transparency and reduce fraud.

Government has further advanced physical planning reforms through the drafting of the Physical Planning Bill, 2026, operationalisation of the Physical Planners Registration Board and continued implementation of the National Physical Development Plan to guide orderly urbanisation.

The launch comes as government continues implementing President Yoweri Museveni’s directives on land compensation, particularly for communities affected by oil palm projects.

In 2025, President Museveni directed the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, and oil palm investors to verify all affected landowners and bibanja holders whose land had been gazetted for oil palm cultivation, especially in Buvuma District, before compensation is effected.

The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development was tasked with providing compensation funds to prevent conflicts that could disrupt the project.

Earlier, in a directive issued on April 14, 2024, President Museveni warned that delays in compensating landowners could jeopardise the oil palm programme after affected communities threatened to destroy plantations established on disputed land.

Government plans to complete compensation in phases while continuing to support oil palm production, which has significantly contributed to household incomes, particularly in Kalangala District, where thousands of farmers participate in the oil palm value chain.

The establishment of the Land Management Centre is expected to complement ongoing government reforms by promoting transparency, reducing land conflicts and safeguarding property rights, thereby contributing to sustainable economic development and social stability across Uganda.

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