Buganda Minister for Lands and Properties, David Mpanga, has initiated a partnership between the Buganda Kingdom, Buganda Land Board (BLB) and the Bibanja Owners Development Association Limited (BODA) to strengthen efforts against fraudulent land titles, illegal land sales and the exploitation of lawful bibanja holders across Buganda.
The partnership was agreed during a meeting convened by Mpanga at the Buganda Land Board headquarters in Mengo on Tuesday after leaders from the Bibanja Owners Development Association sought closer collaboration with the Kingdom to address increasing cases of land fraud, unlawful evictions and illegal transactions involving Kabaka’s land.
The meeting focused on developing joint strategies to identify genuine bibanja holders, eliminate fraudulent land dealings and increase public awareness about the rights and responsibilities of both bibanja holders and registered landowners.
Addressing the meeting, Mpanga said Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II remains committed to ensuring that genuine bibanja holders peacefully occupy and develop their land without fear of exploitation by fraudsters.
“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 networks continue to exploit gaps in public knowledge by creating questionable land documents, fraudulently claiming ownership of occupied land and introducing new occupants through illegal agreements, leaving many families caught up in prolonged legal battles.
Mpanga said rising demand for land, coupled with rapid population growth, has made land conflicts increasingly complex.
“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 cooperation, Mpanga proposed the establishment of a joint technical think tank comprising officials from Buganda Land Board and the Bibanja Owners Development Association. The team would regularly review emerging land disputes, share information and recommend practical solutions.
The Chairperson of the Bibanja Owners Development Association Limited, Bob Mpiima, said the association requested the meeting after receiving numerous complaints from bibanja holders who have become victims of fraudulent land transactions despite occupying their land for decades.
He said collaboration with Buganda Kingdom and Buganda Land Board would strengthen protection for genuine occupants while helping expose individuals involved in illegal land dealings.
“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 noted that several institutions, including schools, churches and community facilities established on Kabaka’s land over the years, remain vulnerable because they lack formal documentation from Buganda Land Board.
According to Mpiima, some individuals have exploited these gaps by obtaining questionable land documents before attempting to subdivide and sell occupied land.
He welcomed the Kingdom’s commitment to work with the association, saying the partnership would improve verification of lawful occupants and reduce unnecessary land conflicts.
BLB Calls for Balanced Public Education
Buganda Land Board Chief Executive Officer Simon Kabogoza said organisations advocating for bibanja holders should also educate the public about the rights of landlords, noting that peaceful land administration requires mutual respect and understanding of 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 explained that Buganda Land Board administers only a fraction of land within Buganda, making public awareness important across all land tenure systems.
Buganda Land Board spokesperson and Legal Officer Dennis Bugaya said ignorance of land laws remains one of the biggest drivers of land fraud.
Bugaya revealed that land administered by Buganda Land Board accounts for less than 10 percent of Buganda’s total land area, meaning many disputes occur outside Kingdom land but involve similar fraudulent practices.
He explained that under Uganda’s land laws, a lawful bibanja holder can only be evicted under specific circumstances, including failure to pay busuulu (annual ground rent), selling a kibanja without the landlord’s consent, or following 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,” Bugaya said.
He added that Buganda Land Board has intensified community sensitisation programmes aimed at helping bibanja holders understand their legal rights while discouraging fraudulent transactions.
Leaders from both organisations expressed confidence that the partnership will improve information sharing, strengthen verification of bibanja holders, reduce fraudulent land transactions and restore public confidence in land administration.
The collaboration is also expected to expand community awareness campaigns across Buganda to ensure that both bibanja holders and landlords understand their legal rights and obligations, reducing avoidable land disputes.
Under Uganda’s Land Act, bibanja holders enjoy statutory protection and cannot be evicted arbitrarily. They are required to pay busuulu, an annual nominal ground rent, while landlords are expected to respect the rights of lawful occupants.
In recent years, Buganda Land Board has intensified efforts to document occupants of Kabaka’s land, combat land fraud and promote peaceful coexistence between landlords and bibanja holders.
