The Ministry Lands, Housing and Urban Development has warned property owners against fraudsters allegedly using claims about a new land-title migration exercise to obtain genuine certificates of title.
According to the ministry, there was no government requirement for owners of land titles issued before 2020 to surrender their certificates for updating or migration by the Surveys and Mapping department.
The ministry urges the public not to hand over original certificates of title to anyone making such demands.
The warning comes as land fraud remains a persistent problem in Uganda, where disputes over ownership, boundaries and documentation can leave property owners vulnerable to fraudulent transactions and competing claims.
In a public notice signed by the ministry’s spokesman Dennis Obbo on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, the ministry explained that andowners were not required to take any action as a result of the alleged migration exercise.
It said the digitisation of Uganda’s land records between 2010 and 2013 was carried out using original registry copies held by the authorities. Landowners were not required to submit their personal copies of certificates of title during that process.
The ministry instead directed members of the public who want to check their land information to use the official Uganda National Land Information System, known as UGNLIS, through its app or online portal.
The warning highlights the growing importance of digital land records as Uganda attempts to reduce fraud and make information about land ownership easier to verify.
Land disputes have long been a source of conflict in Uganda, driven by overlapping claims, unclear boundaries, inadequate documentation and allegations of fraudulent transfers. In some cases, disputes have involved forged documents or attempts to obtain titles through false information.
The government has responded by expanding digitisation of land records, strengthening verification systems and introducing measures intended to improve the administration and resolution of land disputes.
The authorities have also urged members of the public to verify ownership and parcel information through official channels before entering into land transactions.
The lands ministry said people seeking to verify their parcel details should use UGNLIS rather than rely on individuals claiming to be acting on behalf of Surveys and Mapping or the ministry.
The warning comes at a time when Uganda is seeking to modernise its land administration system while protecting property owners from fraudsters exploiting uncertainty around the transition from paper-based to digital records.
