By Spy Uganda
The Government of Uganda has successfully concluded a major clean-up of the land register in Mukono Municipality using cutting-edge blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) technology, marking a significant milestone in the country’s land reform agenda.
Speaking during a ministerial update on the project, the Minister for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Hon. Judith Nabakooba, said the pilot exercise targeting Blocks 190, 193, and 530 in Kyaggwe County was a demonstration of how emerging technologies can transform public service delivery.
“This is the first time Uganda has used blockchain and AI to clean up the land register—and the results speak for themselves. We have successfully cancelled 1,237 irregular and overlapping titles in Mukono Municipality,” Hon. Nabakooba announced.
The problem of overlapping titles in the Mukono Zonal Land Office had persisted for decades, largely due to administrative errors dating back to the colonial period. Town blocks introduced in the 1950s were often laid over existing mailo land without proper coordination, resulting in duplicate or fraudulent titles.
“These systemic errors went undetected for years because of the limitations of the old manual system. But with digital tools, we can now trace, verify, and correct land records with unprecedented accuracy,” she explained.
According to the Ministry, the integration of blockchain into the land registry ensures that all transactions are tamper-proof and transparent, reducing the risk of title fraud. AI algorithms were used to analyze large volumes of historical data to detect anomalies and identify titles that were wrongly issued or duplicated.
“Artificial intelligence helped us flag inconsistencies and prioritize files for review, while blockchain guarantees that new entries into the register are immutable and secure,” Nabakooba noted.
“This is a big step forward for Uganda in adopting modern, reliable systems for land governance.”
The clean-up involved public consultations, newspaper notices, and formal hearings with landowners. After a thorough verification process, the Ministry halted all transactions on the affected blocks, investigated each title, and proceeded with cancellations where necessary.
Now, with the register cleaned, the Ministry has officially reopened the blocks for normal transactions.
“I want to assure the public and financial institutions that Blocks 190, 193, and 530 are now clean, credible, and safe for investment,” she declared.
“We are committed to expanding this technology-led reform across the country.”
Hon. Nabakooba also drew parallels with global trends, citing the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as one of the countries successfully using blockchain and AI in land governance.
“If the UAE can secure land ownership through blockchain, so can Uganda. We are proving that technology is not just for developed countries—it’s for any nation ready to modernize and protect its people.”
The Minister praised the patience of affected landowners and lauded the efforts of the technical teams at the Mukono Zonal Office.
“To the Mukono Zonal Office staff and our top management at the Ministry, thank you for your professionalism, commitment, and hard work throughout this complex exercise.”
The Ministry has hinted that similar clean-ups are expected to be rolled out in other high-risk urban areas, with blockchain and AI playing a central role in ensuring Uganda’s land records are transparent, secure, and future-proof.
