Minister Muhanga Calls For Abolition Of Mailo Land System
Minister Muhanga Calls For Abolition Of Mailo Land System
Minister has called for the abolition of the country’s Mailo land tenure system arguing that it is creating obstacles to government infrastructure projects.
Minister Margaret Muhanga said the system presents challenges when the government needs to acquire land for roads and other public developments.
Her proposal has prompted caution from MPs who said any changes to Uganda’s land ownership arrangements would need to be handled carefully because of the rights and interests attached to land.
The debate touches on one of Uganda’s most sensitive land questions: how to make land available for national development while protecting the rights of those who own or occupy it.
Mailo is one of four land tenure systems recognised under Ugandan law. The others are freehold, leasehold and customary tenure.
The system has its origins in the early 20th Century and is particularly associated with Buganda.
Under Mailo tenure, registered landowners can hold land in perpetuity. At the same time, the law recognises the rights of lawful and bona fide occupants who may live on or use the land.
That creates a sometimes complicated relationship between registered landowners and occupants.
It is this complexity that has repeatedly featured in discussions about land acquisition for public projects.
When government needs land for a road, railway, electricity project or other public infrastructure, it may have to acquire privately held land.
The process can involve identifying landowners and other affected people, valuing their interests and paying compensation before construction can proceed.
Parliament has previously raised concerns about delays in compensating Project Affected Persons.
In April 2026, Parliament’s Committee on Physical Infrastructure said 7,767 project-affected people under government-funded projects remained unpaid, with outstanding compensation estimated at Shs533.23bn. The committee warned that delays could stall major projects and leave billions of shillings in external financing unused.
Land acquisition has therefore become an important part of the debate about why some infrastructure projects take longer and cost more than initially planned.
While Muhanga’s proposal seeks to address what she sees as a development obstacle, MPs have cautioned against making changes to land ownership without considering their wider consequences.
Land is a major source of wealth and livelihood in Uganda, particularly in rural communities.
A change to the Mailo system could therefore affect landowners, tenants, farmers, developers and investors in different ways.
Parliament has recently emphasised the need for stronger land governance and protection of citizens’ land rights.
In July, legislators attending a land-governance orientation were urged to support reforms that strengthen land administration while protecting citizens’ rights and unlocking economic development.
The system has long generated debate over the relationship between landowners and occupants, particularly in areas where tenants have lived on land for generations.
Supporters of reform argue that changes could make land administration easier and remove some obstacles to development.
Critics, however, have historically warned that poorly designed reforms could undermine legitimate property rights and create new disputes.
The Constitution protects the right to own property, while also providing for compulsory acquisition of land in certain circumstances, subject to legal requirements including compensation.
This means that simply abolishing Mailo would not by itself resolve every problem associated with acquiring land for public projects.
The argument reflects a broader challenge facing Uganda as the country expands its road network, cities and industrial infrastructure.
Government needs land to build roads, railways, electricity infrastructure, housing and other public facilities. But landowners and occupants have legal interests that cannot simply be ignored.
The cost of acquiring land can also become substantial, particularly around rapidly growing urban areas where property values have risen sharply.
Parliament has previously linked land acquisition and compensation difficulties to delays in major road projects.
In 2025, the Works and Transport Ministry told Parliament that 27 major road and bridge projects had either been suspended or significantly slowed, with land acquisition and delayed payments among the factors affecting some projects.
Abolishing Mailo would be a major change to Uganda’s land system and would require careful consideration of existing landowners and occupants.
It would also raise questions about compensation, existing titles, tenant protections and the treatment of land already developed under the system.
No details have been provided publicly on what legal framework would replace Mailo tenure or how existing rights would be treated under the proposal.
For now, Muhanga’s comments represent a call for reform rather than an immediate change to the law.
