BUTEBO, Uganda — In a bold move against land grabbing, State Minister for Lands Sam Mayanja has revoked a land title held by Kabwangasi Secondary School, restoring 96 acres of contested land to residents of Kabwangasi Parish.
The minister’s announcement came during a Thursday field visit, following years of community complaints accusing the school of illegal expansion and land encroachment.
“This is a victory for truth and justice,” declared a village elder as residents broke into celebration after the ruling.
The dispute dates back to the early 1980s, when a local family donated 4 acres to build a mosque. The mosque soon attracted Mukanga Primary School, and later, Kabwangasi Secondary School, which was established in 1984.
However, over time, what began as a noble effort to bring education to the area morphed into what locals describe as systematic land grabbing.
Residents say the school gradually took over 96 more acres, allegedly without consent or compensation to the families that originally owned the land.
“We were labeled squatters on land our grandfather donated,” said a family member, visibly emotional. “They even tried to sell some of it.”
In 1995, the land was titled in the name of the Uganda Land Commission, despite the absence of compensation. Minister Mayanja called the move illegal, citing Section 88 of the Land Act, which empowers him to cancel titles issued over land held under customary ownership.
“The law does not support injustice,” he said. “You cannot allocate land belonging to bibanja holders to another institution. That’s abuse of public trust.”
The minister instructed surveyors to demarcate the original 4 acres for continued use by the secondary school, which will operate under the Ministry of Education. The remaining land will stay under the Uganda Land Commission with a caveat in favor of the community.
Mayanja added that after proper verification, affected families will be assisted in acquiring land titles for their respective plots.
The decision marks a rare but significant victory in Uganda’s complex land ownership battles. It also sends a clear signal that the government is ready to confront historical land injustices and restore public trust in the system.
“Our fight is not against education,” a local resident clarified, “it’s against impunity.”
Minister Mayanja pledged to intensify the crackdown on fraudulent land titles, emphasizing that restoring justice is key to reviving confidence in Uganda’s land governance framework.
As of now, Kabwangasi Secondary School has not issued a formal response, but the community insists their stand is not about shutting down schools—it’s about ensuring fairness, consent, and the rule of law.
