By Spy Uganda
The Inspectorate of Government (IG) has directed the immediate interdiction of Mr. Baker Mugaino, Commissioner for Land Registration at the Ministry of Lands, over allegations of fraudulent cancellation and transfer of land titles.
In a press statement issued today, the Inspector General of Government (IGG), Hon. Beti Kamya Turwomwe, instructed the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Lands and Urban Development, Mrs. Dorcas Okalany, to suspend Mr. Mugaino to pave the way for a full investigation.
The interdiction follows a search and seizure operation conducted at the Commissioner’s office on April 24, 2025. The operation came after the Inspectorate received multiple complaints implicating Mr. Mugaino in serious irregularities regarding land title management. Several documents were retrieved during the search to aid ongoing investigations.
The accusations leveled against Mr. Mugaino include the fraudulent cancellation of genuine Certificates of Title and their replacement with fake Special Certificates of Title, arbitrary lifting of caveats, and facilitating the formation of double or multiple Certificates of Title for single land parcels.
Further allegations involve the illegal issuance of Freehold Titles to foreigners, unlawful conversion of Mailo Land Titles to Freehold Titles, and the bypassing of legal procedures. The statement also highlights failure to conduct mandatory public hearings and disregard of court orders as part of the misconduct.
The IGG emphasized that Mr. Mugaino’s interdiction is in line with Article 225(1)(e) of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda (1995), Section 7(1)(e) of the IG Act, CAP 32, and Article 230(2) of the Constitution, together with Section 13(6) of the IG Act.
“The IG urges all public officers to uphold ethical guidelines while holding public offices,” the statement read.
Mrs. Okalany, as Permanent Secretary, is expected to report back to the IGG within seven days regarding the action taken following the directive.
