The Ministry of Land and Urban Development, led by Acting Director of Lands Management and Commissioner of Lands Administration, Naome Kabanda, is currently holding regional meetings to review the National Land Policy (NLP), which has been in place since its approval in 2013.
The review process aims to evaluate the progress made in addressing key land issues, such as land administration, tenure systems, women’s land rights, and dispute resolution mechanisms. It also looks at the evolving role of land in the management of natural resources, particularly oil and gas.
The 2013 National Land Policy was designed to address the challenges Uganda faced with its land resources at the time, focusing on improving land administration, land tenure systems, resolving disputes, and ensuring equitable access to land. Kabanda, who is leading the review process, emphasized the importance of the consultative review in addressing the land-related issues that the country faces today.
“The National Land Policy, when it was developed in 2013, was focused on critical issues like land administration, women’s land rights, land tenure systems, and managing transborder resources, including the emerging oil and gas discoveries. As we conduct this review, we are looking at how far we have come in addressing these concerns and what more needs to be done,” Kabanda said.
Re-engineering Land Administration
Kabanda highlighted one of the most significant aspects of the 2013 policy: the re-engineering of land administration and the decentralization of land services. These initiatives were designed to make land management more accessible and efficient, especially with the increasing complexities brought about by Uganda’s natural resource discoveries.
“The policy emphasized decentralizing land services to ensure that citizens across Uganda, particularly in rural areas, had better access to land administration services,” she added. “We also focused on computerizing the land registry to modernize how land records are managed and ensuring that citizens can access these records easily.”
The oil and gas discoveries in Uganda formed a substantial component of the 2013 National Land Policy. As the country tapped into its oil and gas reserves, the policy recognized the need for effective land governance to ensure that land disputes did not arise from the extraction and exploration activities in resource-rich areas.
Evaluation and Progress
Irumba Henry Harrison, the Assistant Commissioner for Policy Analysis at the Ministry of Lands, noted that policies require periodic reviews to remain relevant. He explained that after 10 years of implementation, a comprehensive review of the National Land Policy was necessary to assess its impact and identify areas where improvements were required.
“As part of the review process, we engaged consultants to conduct an evaluation of the policy’s effectiveness,” said Irumba. “After a decade, we need to assess whether the policy has met its objectives or whether the circumstances have changed. If a policy falls short of its goals, adjustments must be made to ensure it continues to serve its purpose.”
The findings of the evaluation, which was funded by GIZ Uganda, revealed that the National Land Policy had achieved 67% of its goals. While there has been progress in areas like land administration and decentralization, significant gaps remain, which the ongoing review aims to address.
“The review will help us identify where the policy has succeeded and where further reforms are necessary,” Irumba added. “Our goal is to ensure that land management and administration in Uganda are efficient, equitable, and aligned with the country’s broader development goals.”
As the review continues, Kabanda and Irumba emphasized that a key part of the process is ensuring the policy remains adaptable to Uganda’s evolving land needs, particularly as urbanization increases, and land becomes an even more precious resource. The consultation process is designed to gather input from various stakeholders, including local communities, landowners, women’s rights organizations, and experts in land management.
In the coming months, the Ministry of Lands will continue to engage with citizens through these regional consultations, seeking feedback on how to refine the National Land Policy to better address Uganda's land challenges. With a commitment to inclusivity and thorough reform, the Ministry aims to ensure that the country's land resources are managed sustainably and in the best interests of all Ugandans.
The Ministry of Land and Urban Development, led by Acting Director of Lands Management and Commissioner of Lands Administration, Naome Kabanda, is currently holding regional meetings to review the National Land Policy (NLP), which has been in place since its approval in 2013.
The review process aims to evaluate the progress made in addressing key land issues, such as land administration, tenure systems, women’s land rights, and dispute resolution mechanisms. It also looks at the evolving role of land in the management of natural resources, particularly oil and gas.
The 2013 National Land Policy was designed to address the challenges Uganda faced with its land resources at the time, focusing on improving land administration, land tenure systems, resolving disputes, and ensuring equitable access to land. Kabanda, who is leading the review process, emphasized the importance of the consultative review in addressing the land-related issues that the country faces today.
“The National Land Policy, when it was developed in 2013, was focused on critical issues like land administration, women’s land rights, land tenure systems, and managing transborder resources, including the emerging oil and gas discoveries. As we conduct this review, we are looking at how far we have come in addressing these concerns and what more needs to be done,” Kabanda said.
Re-engineering Land Administration
Kabanda highlighted one of the most significant aspects of the 2013 policy: the re-engineering of land administration and the decentralization of land services. These initiatives were designed to make land management more accessible and efficient, especially with the increasing complexities brought about by Uganda’s natural resource discoveries.
“The policy emphasized decentralizing land services to ensure that citizens across Uganda, particularly in rural areas, had better access to land administration services,” she added. “We also focused on computerizing the land registry to modernize how land records are managed and ensuring that citizens can access these records easily.”
The oil and gas discoveries in Uganda formed a substantial component of the 2013 National Land Policy. As the country tapped into its oil and gas reserves, the policy recognized the need for effective land governance to ensure that land disputes did not arise from the extraction and exploration activities in resource-rich areas.
Evaluation and Progress
Irumba Henry Harrison, the Assistant Commissioner for Policy Analysis at the Ministry of Lands, noted that policies require periodic reviews to remain relevant. He explained that after 10 years of implementation, a comprehensive review of the National Land Policy was necessary to assess its impact and identify areas where improvements were required.
“As part of the review process, we engaged consultants to conduct an evaluation of the policy’s effectiveness,” said Irumba. “After a decade, we need to assess whether the policy has met its objectives or whether the circumstances have changed. If a policy falls short of its goals, adjustments must be made to ensure it continues to serve its purpose.”
The findings of the evaluation, which was funded by GIZ Uganda, revealed that the National Land Policy had achieved 67% of its goals. While there has been progress in areas like land administration and decentralization, significant gaps remain, which the ongoing review aims to address.
“The review will help us identify where the policy has succeeded and where further reforms are necessary,” Irumba added. “Our goal is to ensure that land management and administration in Uganda are efficient, equitable, and aligned with the country’s broader development goals.”
As the review continues, Kabanda and Irumba emphasized that a key part of the process is ensuring the policy remains adaptable to Uganda’s evolving land needs, particularly as urbanization increases, and land becomes an even more precious resource. The consultation process is designed to gather input from various stakeholders, including local communities, landowners, women’s rights organizations, and experts in land management.
In the coming months, the Ministry of Lands will continue to engage with citizens through these regional consultations, seeking feedback on how to refine the National Land Policy to better address Uganda's land challenges. With a commitment to inclusivity and thorough reform, the Ministry aims to ensure that the country's land resources are managed sustainably and in the best interests of all Ugandans.