Lands, Housing and Urban Development Minister Judith Nabakooba has urged Ugandans to take estate planning seriously, warning that failure to properly document and manage property often leads to family conflicts, lengthy court battles and loss of wealth.
Speaking at the TARA Estate Planning Symposium held at Arirang Hotel in Kampala, the minister emphasized the need for citizens to regularly update their land records, register their property and make clear plans for how their assets should be managed in the future.
The symposium, organized by Tara Advocates under the theme “Beyond Wealth: Structuring for Continuity, Crisis and Legacy,” brought together legal experts, financial professionals, policymakers and business leaders to discuss the importance of succession planning.
During the event, Nabakooba officially launched the Estate Planning Association, a new professional body that aims to promote responsible estate management and increase public awareness about succession planning across Uganda.According to the minister, estate planning is not only about preparing for death but also about ensuring that wealth, property and investments remain protected and productive for future generations.
She noted that every generation has a responsibility to leave the next generation better prepared and more secure. Proper planning, she said, helps families avoid disputes and guarantees a smooth transfer of assets when a property owner dies or becomes unable to manage their affairs.Nabakooba explained that many Ugandans mistakenly believe that owning a land title is enough to secure their property. While a title confirms ownership, she said, it does not provide answers on who will manage the property in case of incapacity, whether the property should be sold, transferred into a trust or passed on through a company structure. Without proper planning, families are often left struggling to make decisions, resulting in disagreements that can take years to resolve.
The minister also expressed concern about the common practice of leaving land and other property registered in the names of deceased family members. Such situations, she noted, have become a major source of conflicts among relatives and beneficiaries. She encouraged Ugandans to regularly update ownership records and ensure that all family arrangements, including verbal gifts, land boundaries and agreements, are formally documented.To improve access to land services, Nabakooba highlighted government efforts to modernize land administration through digitization. She revealed that the Ministry of Lands has expanded the Land Information System and established 22 zonal offices across the country. Through these reforms, more than 760,000 land transactions have been processed and over 820,000 land records digitized.
The improvements, she said, are enhancing transparency, reducing the loss of records and increasing investor confidence.The minister pointed to the growing number of land-related court cases as evidence of the need for better estate planning. She cited the Judiciary Performance Report for the quarter ending March 2026, which recorded 7,279 pending cases in the Land Division of the High Court, with nearly half classified as backlog. Such figures, she said, show the costly consequences of unresolved property disputes.Nabakooba further encouraged families to appoint trustees to oversee property on behalf of beneficiaries whenever succession issues become complicated. She noted that trusteeship is recognized under Ugandan law and can help preserve assets while protecting the interests of family members. She also advised that trustees be renewed every five years to ensure effective management and accountability.National Planning Authority Executive Director Dr. Joseph Muvawala welcomed the establishment of the Estate Planning Association and pledged support for its efforts to promote responsible wealth management. He said proper estate planning is essential for economic stability and can help families preserve businesses and investments across generations.Tara Advocates Managing Partner Damalie Tibugwisa said the symposium was intended to change the public perception that estate planning is only linked to death. Instead, she described it as a critical tool for protecting family wealth, ensuring business continuity and preserving the vision of property owners long after they are gone.Tibugwisa cited several high-profile succession disputes, including the widely discussed burial and inheritance controversies involving the late musician Paul Kafeero, to demonstrate the challenges that arise when families fail to plan adequately.
She noted that many family-owned businesses in Uganda are currently transitioning from founders to the next generation, making estate planning more important than ever.As Uganda continues to modernize its economy and expand property ownership, experts say estate planning is no longer a luxury for the wealthy but a necessity for everyone. Through proper documentation, succession planning and responsible management of assets, families can avoid conflicts, protect their wealth and build a lasting legacy for future generations.
