Kampala, Uganda: Buganda Minister for Lands and Properties, Owek. David Mpanga has initiated a strategic partnership between the Buganda Kingdom, Buganda Land Board (BLB) and the Bibanja Owners Development Association Limited (BODA), a move aimed at protecting lawful bibanja holders and restore confidence in land administration.
The initiative was announced during a meeting convened by Mpanga at the Buganda Land Board headquarters in Mengo after leaders of the Bibanja Owners Development Association sought closer collaboration with the Kingdom to combat escalating cases of forged land documents, illegal land transactions and unlawful evictions affecting occupants of Kabaka’s land.
The meeting focused on developing coordinated interventions to identify genuine bibanja holders, curb fraudulent land dealings, strengthen public awareness of land laws, and promote transparent management of Kingdom land.
Speaking at the meeting, Owek. Mpanga said Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II remains committed to protecting genuine bibanja holders from fraudsters who exploit legal loopholes to dispossess families and institutions of their land.
“His Majesty the Kabaka wants bibanja holders to remain on their land and continue developing it. We want to establish a working relationship that enables us to identify genuine bibanja holders who deserve protection,” Mpanga said.
He warned that criminal syndicates continue to produce questionable land documents, impersonate landowners and facilitate illegal sales of Kingdom land, exposing lawful occupants to costly court battles and unlawful evictions.
Mpanga noted that land disputes are becoming increasingly complex due to rapid population growth and rising demand for land. “God is no longer creating new land, yet the population continues to grow. The way land is used, and the expectations people have about land will also continue to change,” he said.
To strengthen the campaign, the minister proposed the formation of a joint technical committee bringing together experts from the Buganda Land Board and the Bibanja Owners Development Association to share information, verify land ownership claims, and recommend practical solutions to emerging land disputes.
Bibanja owners seek a stronger partnership
The Chairperson of the Bibanja Owners Development Association Limited, Bob Mpiima, said the association sought the meeting to build a structured partnership with Buganda Kingdom in response to increasing cases of fraudulent land titles and illegal land sales targeting bibanja holders.
He said many occupants of Kabaka’s land continue to lose property because fraudsters take advantage of weak documentation and limited public knowledge of land laws.
“We want to ensure that all genuine bibanja holders on Kabaka’s land are protected. Many schools and churches have occupied land for years without proper documentation, and this has created opportunities for land grabbers,” Mpiima said.
He explained that some developers have exploited the absence of official documentation by fraudulently claiming ownership of land occupied by schools, churches and communities before subdividing and selling it.
Mpiima welcomed the Kingdom’s willingness to work jointly with the association, saying the partnership would strengthen verification of lawful occupants while reducing fraudulent transactions involving Kingdom land.
BLB calls for balanced land education
Buganda Land Board Chief Executive Officer Omuk. Simon Kabogoza urged organisations championing bibanja holders’ rights to also educate the public on the legal rights and obligations of landlords.
He noted that sustainable land governance can only be achieved when both landowners and tenants understand and respect the law. “Whether someone occupies Kingdom land, private land or government land, land-related challenges affect everyone. That is why public education remains one of our biggest priorities,” Kabogoza said.
He added that Buganda Land Board manages only a small proportion of land in Buganda, making wider public education essential across all land tenure systems.
BLB spokesperson and Legal Officer Dennis Bugaya said many fraudulent land transactions succeed because bibanja holders lack adequate knowledge of their legal rights.
He revealed that land administered by the Buganda Land Board constitutes less than 10 percent of the total land in Buganda, underscoring the need for continuous public sensitisation beyond Kingdom land.
Bugaya explained that under Uganda’s land laws, a lawful bibanja holder may only be evicted under specific legal circumstances, including failure to pay busuulu (annual ground rent), selling a kibanja without the landlord’s consent, or pursuant to a lawful court order.
“Protecting a bibanja holder begins with educating them about their rights and responsibilities. Many people do not even know who their landlord is, making them easy targets for fraudsters,” he said, adding that Buganda Land Board has intensified community sensitisation campaigns aimed at empowering lawful occupants and reducing fraudulent land dealings.
Partnership to strengthen land governance
Officials from Buganda Kingdom and the Bibanja Owners Development Association said the new partnership will strengthen information sharing, improve verification of bibanja holders, combat fraudulent land titles and illegal land sales, and expand community sensitisation programmes across Buganda.
Under the Land Act, bibanja holders enjoy legal protection against arbitrary eviction and are required to pay busuulu, an annual nominal ground rent, to the registered landowner.
In recent years, the Buganda Land Board has intensified efforts to document occupants of Kabaka’s land, combat land fraud, and strengthen public awareness on land rights amid increasing cases of forged land titles and illegal land transactions.
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