Residents of Kakumiro District have welcomed a government decision to cancel four disputed land titles, a move expected to ease long-standing fears of eviction and restore confidence in land ownership.
The State Minister for Lands, Samuel Mayanja, on March 27, 2026, ordered the cancellation during a community meeting in Kasenyi Parish, Kakiindo Sub-county, attended by more than 500 residents.
For years, locals have lived under the threat of displacement amid claims that powerful individuals had fraudulently acquired land titles covering areas they occupy, a situation leaders say has left many families uncertain about their future.
Bugangayizi West MP Fred Byamukama told residents that the disputes date back more than a decade.
“In 2007, land was allegedly subdivided and sold without the knowledge of the occupants, leaving many residents unknowingly settling on contested property,” he said.
The cancelled titles include a three-square-mile piece of land linked to former minister and MP Baltazer Kasiliivu Atwooki, as well as other persons associated with local leaders and private individuals.
Kakumiro Resident District Commissioner Francis Kibuuka Amooti warned that unresolved land wrangles had made the area unstable.
“Kakumiro is sitting on a time bomb due to ongoing land disputes,” Kibuuka said, urging swift action to resolve the conflicts and protect residents.
The State Minister assured the community that steps would be taken to regularize land ownership and safeguard their rights.
“All these land titles have been cancelled. My legal team will work with MP Byamukama to ensure residents are issued legitimate land titles,” Mayanja said.
“The former minister and MP abused the trust placed in them, and the law must catch up. No one is above the law,” he added.
Leaders say the decision could mark a turning point for hundreds of families who have long struggled with insecure land tenure, raising hopes that justice and stability may finally take root in the district.
