By Mulengera Reporters
The Ministry of Lands has taken a firm stand to protect ordinary Ugandans sitting on bibanja, saying enough is enough with the landlords who have been using tricks and threats to torment tenants.
Through a set of new measures announced on Friday morning by Lands Minister Judith Nabakooba, the government has now given lawful and bona fide occupants a clear pathway to defend their land rights even when landlords refuse to cooperate.
The Ministry says many landlords have been deliberately refusing to accept annual nominal ground rent (busuulu) from tenants, and later using that as an excuse to chase them off the land.
According to the former Mityana woman MP, the law recognizes that once a tenant pays busuulu, they are protected from eviction. But in many areas, landlords either reject the money or completely disappear, frustrating the tenants who are then accused of illegal occupancy.
To stop this, the government has opened a new bank account under the Public Finance Management Act where tenants can now deposit busuulu directly if the landlord is absent or unwilling to receive it.
The account is called Ministry of Lands – Ground Rent (Busuulu) and is open to the public through banks or mobile money.
However, tenants must first prove that they are lawful, backed with letters from local authorities, land inspection reports, and other supporting documents before getting clearance to deposit.
Once the busuulu is deposited, the tenant keeps the bank slip as proof of payment. And if the landlord later returns and wants to receive the money, they will have to formally apply to the Ministry.
Nabakooba has also clarified the definition of an absentee landlord as one who has never been physically identified by the bibanja holders, nor traceable by local leaders, adding that in such cases, tenants will no longer be left in legal limbo.
The official busuulu rates remain unchanged: UGX 50,000 for cities, UGX 40,000 for municipalities, UGX 30,000 for town councils, UGX 20,000 for town boards, and UGX 5,000 for rural areas. These figures were confirmed through Statutory Instrument No. 55 of 2011, and a recent review attempt found no district objecting to them.
Minister Nabakooba noted that non-payment of busuulu is the only legal ground for eviction, and even then, courts must issue an order giving not less than six months for the tenant to vacate the land.
The Ministry is encouraging tenants to apply for Certificates of Occupancy, which officially document their rights as occupants and are recognized under the Land Act.
These certificates, once issued, can also be used as collateral in banks or to access funding under government programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM).
So far, the Ministry has mapped over 96,000 bibanja and processed more than 500 certificates in districts like Mubende, Mityana, Kassanda, Kiboga, and Gomba.
Despite these efforts, Nabakooba expressed concern over political interference, especially in areas like Butambala where some opposition political leaders allegedly misled locals to reject the government’s mapping program. She urged bibanja holders not to be swayed by such voices.
“These programs are here to help the people. Rejecting them only keeps you in fear and vulnerability,” she said.
The Minister assured the public that the government will continue rolling out these reforms and will not abandon tenants, thanked President Museveni for his support in guiding land reforms and encouraged bibanja holders to support the NRM to ensure the process is completed.
With these measures now in place, many tenants who have lived with constant threats over their bibanja may finally find relief, because the Ministry’s move not only protects their rights but also gives them a chance to invest and develop with confidence. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
