KAMPALA (UGNEWSLINE) – The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development has lifted the suspension on issuing special certificates of title, allowing applications to resume under new guidelines designed to curb land fraud, protect legitimate property owners and strengthen the country’s land registration system.
The suspension, which took effect on August 14, 2026, followed public complaints and concerns that innocent landowners were losing their property through fraudulent claims involving special certificates of title.
The government subsequently reviewed the procedures governing the issuance of replacement titles to address loopholes that could be exploited by individuals seeking to claim land that does not belong to them.
Announcing the lifting of the suspension on October 20, 2026, at the Uganda Media Centre, the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development Judith Nabakooba said the ministry had developed guidelines to streamline the replacement process and introduce stronger safeguards against abuse. The decision followed a review of Section 69 of the Registration of Titles Act, which provides for the issuance of special certificates of title but does not explicitly detail all the procedures required to address the risk of fraud.
“The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development has carefully studied and developed guidelines to help the office and proprietors of land replace their titles,” the minister said.
The new framework establishes procedures for replacing titles that have been lost, destroyed or damaged beyond use. It also covers applications arising from court orders and those submitted by administrators or executors managing the estates of deceased persons. Under the guidelines, applicants must provide supporting documentation and undergo verification before a special certificate can be issued.
New guidelines
The guidelines introduce a series of verification and public notification requirements intended to ensure that replacement titles are issued only to legitimate applicants. Depending on the nature of an application, the required documents may include statutory declarations, proof of payment of prescribed fees, identification documents and reports from local leaders. Police documentation, land inspection reports and other supporting records may also be required where applicable.
One of the key safeguards is the requirement to publish notices of applications in the Uganda Gazette for at least 30 days before a special certificate of title is issued. The notices must also be displayed at the relevant sub-county, on local council noticeboards and on the land in question for the same period. In addition, the ministry will publish a monthly list of applications in a newspaper of wide circulation and display relevant notices on its website, including details of the applicants and the affected land parcels.
These measures are intended to give interested parties an opportunity to scrutinise applications and raise concerns before a replacement title is issued. Individuals who suspect fraud, impersonation, double sales, competing ownership claims or other irregularities will be allowed to lodge formal objections with the registrar during the applicable notice period. The registrar will then summon the parties for a hearing and make a ruling on the objection.
The new procedures also require physical inspections of the land by a government surveyor working alongside a registrar of titles or land officer, with the local council committee present. The inspections are intended to establish the property’s development status, occupancy and use, helping officials verify the circumstances surrounding each application.
Applications based on court orders will undergo additional checks, with the registrar required to confirm the authenticity of the relevant order with the court that issued it before proceeding. For land belonging to deceased persons, administrators and executors must provide additional documentation, including an inventory of the estate and letters of probate or administration, alongside other relevant records.
Before approving an application, the registrar must be satisfied that the original title was genuine, the applicant has been properly identified and has the legal authority to apply, and the reported loss, destruction or damage has been sufficiently established. The registrar must also verify the authenticity of the transaction, identify relevant dealings and encumbrances, and ensure that no unresolved legal matter prevents the issuance of a replacement title.
The guidelines further require every decision to approve, defer, reject or suspend an application to be documented with reasons. Details of each newly issued certificate, including the date and reason for issuance and references to the previous title, must also be entered in the register book to maintain a clear record of the transaction.
The framework is anchored in Uganda’s 1995 Constitution and the Registration of Titles Act, which provides for special certificates where duplicate titles have been lost, destroyed or rendered unusable, as well as certificates issued pursuant to court directions. The ministry says the revised procedures are intended to reinforce security of land tenure while ensuring that the replacement process does not become a channel through which fraudulent individuals can claim other people’s property.
With the suspension lifted, landowners can once again apply for special certificates of title, provided they meet the new requirements. The government has also indicated that further consultations with relevant stakeholders will be conducted as it works towards translating the guidelines into formal regulations.
The effectiveness of the new framework will depend on consistent implementation, thorough verification by land officials and the extent to which public objections are handled transparently. For landowners seeking to replace missing or damaged titles, the resumption of applications provides a route to restoring their documentation, while the strengthened procedures are intended to reduce fraudulent claims and disputes over ownership.
