Hon. Judith Nabakooba, the Minister of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, has announced firm steps to address the land challenges that have long troubled tenants across the country. This follows the concerns raised by citizens during the President’s recent Parish Development Model (PDM) tour. The key issues include landlords who refuse to accept busuulu (the annual nominal ground rent) and landlords who are completely absent. The Minister assured Ugandans that both the Constitution and the Land Act provide strong protection to lawful and bona fide occupants, as long as they pay their busuulu as required by law.
Busuulu is a small fee that tenants on registered land must pay to the landlord every year. Importantly, this fee is fixed by law, not negotiated with landlords. Hon. Nabakooba clarified that the current busuulu rates remain unchanged, since no district local governments proposed any revision. The rates are UGX 50,000 per year in cities, UGX 40,000 in municipalities, UGX 30,000 in town councils, UGX 20,000 in town boards, and UGX 5,000 in rural areas. These amounts were set by the government in 2011 and continue to be fair for both landlords and tenants.
To address the problem of landlords who refuse busuulu or cannot be found, the Minister announced a new measure under Statutory Instrument No. 2 of 2025. From now on, landlords must receive busuulu and issue a written receipt that clearly shows the tenant’s name, the amount paid, and the year covered. If a landlord is absent or refuses to take busuulu, tenants can apply for permission to deposit the rent into a government bank account created for this purpose. This new system ensures that tenants have a clear way to fulfill their obligations and protect themselves from eviction. Payments can be made at any bank or through mobile money, and tenants must keep the deposit slip as proof.
Before tenants are allowed to deposit busuulu into the government account, they must show that they are lawful or bona fide occupants. They will need documents such as recommendation letters from local leaders, proof of occupation, and an inspection report from the Area Land Committee. On the other hand, landlords who want to claim their money from this account will have to apply to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Lands.
Hon. Nabakooba further encouraged all tenants to apply for Certificates of Occupancy. This certificate is an official document that proves a tenant’s right to use the land and helps protect against eviction, especially by new landlords who might claim the tenant is a trespasser. In addition, tenants can use these certificates as collateral to get loans and invest in improving their land or starting businesses. So far, the government has mapped more than 96,000 bibanja and issued over 500 certificates in districts such as Mubende, Mityana, Kassanda, Kiboga, and Gomba.
The Minister urged tenants not to be misled by wrong information from some political leaders, which could cause them to miss out on these important government programs. She assured the nation that the NRM government remains committed to using the law to protect tenants and remove unnecessary fears about eviction. The Ministry has also introduced an online app where tenants can easily check the status of their Certificates of Occupancy and landlord details, helping to prevent fraud and illegal evictions.
In her closing remarks, Hon. Nabakooba thanked the President for his wise leadership in addressing the land problems that started during the colonial era. She called upon tenants to support the NRM so that the government can continue its mission of securing bibanja holders’ rights and ending the problem of dual ownership on the same pieces of land. The Minister’s message was clear: the government is determined to help tenants move from subsistence farming into the money economy through land reforms and legal protection.
