By Ben Musanje
The Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Judith Nabakooba, has urged couples across Uganda to prioritize proper land registration, warning that failure to document ownership is fueling a surge in bitter family disputes.
Speaking at a couples’ retreat in Busimbi Division, Mityana District on May 1, Nabakooba stressed that securing land titles while both partners are still alive is essential to preventing future conflict. She revealed that many of the disputes her office handles stem from unclear ownership, often pitting children against surviving parents.
“I am handling a case where a child is chasing his mother off land, claiming it belonged to his late father,” she said, underscoring the emotional and legal turmoil caused by undocumented property.
The retreat, organized by the Mother’s Union Central Region under the Church of Uganda Mityana Diocese, brought together participants from seven dioceses under the theme: “When Christ anchors your marriage, storms don’t win.”
Beyond legal measures, Nabakooba called on parents to instill strong moral and spiritual values in their children, arguing that respect and faith can play a crucial role in preventing property-related conflicts.
“We are seeing families torn apart—children fighting, even attempting to evict their own parents—because of land,” she said.
She also pointed to cases where long-standing marriages have collapsed over property disputes, including one involving an elderly man attempting to evict his wife despite years of shared investment.
The service was led by Bishop Marcus Dogo of Kafanchan Diocese in Nigeria, with Bishop James Bukomeko as co-celebrant.
In his sermon, Bishop Dogo urged couples to anchor their marriages in prayer, warning that a lack of spiritual grounding leaves families vulnerable.
“A man or woman who cannot pray—their home will be shattered,” he said, cautioning against adultery and materialism.
He also addressed sensitive issues such as infertility, encouraging couples to uphold love and commitment above all else. “When God created a woman, He said ‘helper’—not children,” he emphasized.
Bishop Bukomeko, in his remarks, called on parents to invest in both the education and moral upbringing of their children, noting that strong values are key to building stable families and communities.
He added that nurturing God-fearing children remains central to the Diocese’s mission, saying that values instilled early can help prevent future disputes—including those over land.
Together, the leaders delivered a unified message: without proper planning, documentation, and values, land—one of Uganda’s most treasured assets—can quickly become a source of division rather than security.
