HC: Land Division (Uganda)

The Land Division is a Division created at the High Court Head office at Kampala.

The Division is charged with the following functions:Responsibility of supervising the work of Land Tribunals, the adjudication of all land related dispute fall under this Division. The land Division is established with three judges with a separate registry for the Division .There is a Registrar for the Land Division who doubles as the Registrar of the Land Tribunals. A desk office was also established under the office of the Registrar to handle the activities of the District Land Tribunals.

 

Physical address
Twed Towers, along Kafu Road, Nakasero, Kampala.
39 judgments
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39 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
November 2024

 

29 November 2024
A planning dispute raised whether a cause of action existed and if local remedies had been exhausted before court proceedings.
Civil procedure – Application for striking out plaint – Cause of action – Exhaustion of local remedies – Affidavit authorization – Security for costs – Physical Planning Act and Building Control Act; planning dispute; ownership interest; procedural defect; court’s liberal approach to affidavits.
29 November 2024

 

29 November 2024
Court finds plaintiffs lawful owners; defendant trespassed; orders eviction, demolition and UGX 20,000,000 damages with interest.
* Land law – ownership by allocation from estate – allocation letters and certificate of occupancy as proof of title. * Trespass – unlawful entry and encroachment proven by documentary evidence, witness testimony and locus in quo inspection. * Remedies – declaratory relief, permanent injunction, eviction, demolition of structures, award of general damages and interest; costs follow the event.
29 November 2024
Court substituted respondent as legal representative and granted eviction over land exceeding the decreed 0.15 acres.
Civil procedure – substitution of deceased judgment-debtor with successor for purposes of execution (Section 37 Civil Procedure Act); grant of limited letters of administration under Section 222 Succession Act; consequential orders to give effect to declaratory judgment (eviction for land in excess of decretal entitlement); exercise of court’s discretion to admit late affidavit under Section 98 Civil Procedure Act.
29 November 2024

Land Suit—sale of land—ownership dispute—purchase—contract breach—failure to transfer—subdivision—sale to third party—due diligence—fraud & trespass allegations—prior litigation—res judicata—specific performance—damages

28 November 2024

 

28 November 2024
An application for joinder as defendant was dismissed due to failure to provide documentary proof of interest in disputed land.
Land law – application for joinder as defendant – failure to provide documentary proof of interest in suit property – necessity of evidence to demonstrate legal interest for joinder – dismissal for lack of evidentiary support.
26 November 2024
The court ordered a respondent joined as a defendant to ensure complete adjudication over disputed land and avoid multiple suits.
Civil procedure – Joinder of parties – Necessary party for complete adjudication – Amendment of plaint – Avoidance of multiplicity of suits.
25 November 2024

Effect of recall of summons—non-service allegations—written statement of defence validity after recall—review application—mistake or error apparent on record—due diligence—jurisdiction of registrar

25 November 2024

Land Law—vesting orders—section 167 RTA—conditions for issuance—completed purchase—possession—vendor's acquiescence—jurisdictional prerequisites—Registrar of Titles—mandatory initial application—preliminary objection—procedural impropriety—immature application—dismissal—costs.

22 November 2024
Application dismissed due to non-service on respondents and non-appearance by applicants at scheduled hearing.
Civil procedure – dismissal – lack of service of application – non-appearance of parties – dismissal for want of prosecution – Order 5 and Order 9 rule 17 Civil Procedure Rules.
21 November 2024
Application dismissed for lack of service on respondents and non-appearance by the applicants at the hearing.
Civil procedure – application not served – non-appearance of parties – dismissal for want of prosecution – Order 5 and Order 9 rule 17 of the Civil Procedure Rules.
21 November 2024
Application for consolidation of suits dismissed due to failure to file affidavit of service as required by procedure.
Civil procedure – Application for consolidation of suits – Requirement for affidavit of service – Dismissal for want of prosecution – Order 9 rule 17 of the Civil Procedure Rules.
20 November 2024
Disputes on matrimonial property division must be tried as ordinary suits, not determined by affidavit in miscellaneous causes.
Matrimonial property – division of property after dissolution of marriage – procedure – whether ownership disputes can be resolved by affidavit in a miscellaneous cause – necessity of ordinary plaint in cases involving factual disputes.
19 November 2024
The court allowed joinder of new defendants following alleged fraudulent transfer of suit land during the pendency of proceedings.
Civil procedure – Joinder of parties – Application to join transferees of property as defendants – Necessary parties – O.1 r.10 CPR – Fraudulent transfer of land – Amendment of pleadings.
18 November 2024
Joinder of subsequent land transferees as defendants was permitted to ensure complete adjudication of a fraud claim.
Civil procedure – joinder of parties – necessary and proper parties – amendment of pleadings – fraudulent transfer of land – effect of subsequent registration on existing claims.
18 November 2024

 

15 November 2024
Applicant granted leave to tax advocate-client bills after court finds relationship, services rendered, and non-payment.
Advocates Act – advocate-client relationship – proof by instructions and conduct – taxation of advocate-client bill of costs – service of bill by email – leave to present bills for taxation; costs follow the event.
15 November 2024

 

15 November 2024

 

15 November 2024

Land law—ownership dispute—cancellation of special certificate of title—function of the Commissioner Land Registration—functus officio—historical transactions—dispute of fact—proper forum—full trial—dismissal—costs

15 November 2024
Sale agreement held invalid for non‑compliance with Illiterates Protection Act and lack of valid consent; refund ordered.
Land law – sale agreement – validity – Illiterates Protection Act: mandatory certificate of reading/translation; consensus ad idem and consideration; capacity and consent of registered owner; parol evidence rule cannot override mandatory Illiterates Protection Act; fraud allegations require high burden of proof; restitution where void contract resulted in unjust enrichment.
14 November 2024
Court found partial success for applicant, ordered fresh public hearing and re-survey due to titling and survey errors; respondent partly time-barred.
Land law – trespass and possessory actions – limitation periods for recovery of land – defective surveys and irregular special certificates of title – powers of Registrar General to re-survey, hold public hearings and correct titles.
13 November 2024
Registered title prevails; purchaser who fails due diligence and relies on defective kibanja becomes a trespasser and is liable for damages.
Land law – registered title versus subsequent kibanja claims; bona fide purchaser protection; duty of due diligence by purchaser; trespass and remedies – declaration, injunction, valuation, conditional eviction, damages and costs.
13 November 2024
A conditional stay of execution was granted pending appeal, subject to the applicant depositing security for due performance.
Civil procedure – stay of execution pending appeal – substantial loss – security for due performance of decree – threat of execution – balance of convenience – timeliness of application.
13 November 2024
Court conditionally stayed execution pending appeal, ordering UGX 80,000,000 security to protect respondent and safeguard the appeal.
Stay of execution – conditions for grant pending appeal – substantial loss (threat to personal liberty by arrest) – timely application – security for due performance required – arguable appeal – conditional stay on deposit of UGX 80,000,000.
13 November 2024
Court conditionally stayed execution pending appeal subject to deposit of UGX 80,000,000 as security.
Stay of execution pending appeal – conditions under Order 43 rule 4: substantial loss; no unreasonable delay; security for due performance; appeal arguable; balance of hardships; execution by arrest and protection of liberty.
13 November 2024
Prior judgment and executed vacant possession established plaintiff's ownership; defendant trespassed and committed contempt, ordered evicted and damages awarded.
Land law – ownership and execution of decree; trespass and contempt for occupying land after valid execution; duties of due diligence in land purchase; rectification of title and fresh survey where subdivision errors occur.
13 November 2024
Application to substitute administrators of a deceased's estate as counter defendants allowed; matter referred to mediation and no costs awarded.
Civil Procedure – Substitution of deceased party – Administrators of estate – Application for substitution – Concession by parties – Costs – Referral to mediation
12 November 2024

 

11 November 2024
Court appointed a legal representative for a deceased’s estate to enable beneficiaries to pursue claims relating to disputed transactions.
Succession law – appointment of legal representative ad litem for deceased’s estate – requirements and discretion of the court – necessity for ensuring beneficiaries’ right to be heard and pursuit of claims against the estate.
11 November 2024
A third party must prove a legal grievance and nexus to the title to review a consent judgment; failure to do so warrants dismissal.
* Civil procedure – Review of consent judgment – availability to third parties – requirement to show a legal grievance and locus to seek review under Section 82 CPA and Order 46 CPR. * Land law – disputed proprietorship – necessity of documentary proof (letters of administration, transfer nexus) to establish aggrievement. * Review grounds – new evidence, mistake apparent on face of record, fraud/collusion must be proved; unproven allegations better pursued in separate substantive suit. * Procedural remedy – dismissal of review where applicant fails to prove aggrievement or any reviewable ground; costs awarded to respondents.
8 November 2024
Preliminary objection dismissed: respondents have locus standi and lis pendens not established; ownership requires full trial.
Civil procedure – preliminary objections – locus standi in land disputes; lis pendens – tests for multiplicity of suits; limitations of preliminary objections where factual evidence is required; determination of ownership requires trial evidence under the Evidence Act; transactions in estate land and effect of lack of letters of administration.
7 November 2024
Applicant’s stay sought under Human Rights Act and stay provisions denied because the Act is non‑retrospective and parties/matters differ.
Human Rights (Enforcement) Act 2019 – s.8(1) non-retrospective application; Civil Procedure Act – s.6 stay requires same parties and directly/substantially same matter; Inherent jurisdiction and s.98 CPA – discretionary, not justified where parties/matters differ.
7 November 2024
Applicant has locus standi; counterclaim solely against co-defendant is not maintainable under Order 8 CPR.
* Civil procedure – Counterclaim – Whether a defendant may set up a counterclaim solely against a co-defendant – Order 8 CPR – Counterclaim as cross-action challenging plaintiff's claim. * Locus standi – Spousal interest in property – alleged unlawful mortgage confers sufficient interest to challenge procedural irregularity.
7 November 2024
An appeal dismissed for non-service upon a deceased respondent was reinstated and transferred to the proper court circuit.
Civil procedure – appeal – dismissal for non-service due to death of respondent – reinstatement – substitution of deceased party – transfer of appeal to proper forum.
5 November 2024
A court will not set aside a dismissal and reinstate a suit without sufficient cause, despite consent between counsel.
Civil Procedure – Setting aside dismissal – Non-attendance of parties – Reinstatement of suit – Sufficient cause – Consent orders between advocates – Order 9 Civil Procedure Rules – Diligence in prosecuting claims.
4 November 2024

 

1 November 2024