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.
370 judgments
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370 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
January 2024
High Court retains jurisdiction to hear revisions from Local Council Courts; section 40’s delegation does not oust that jurisdiction.
Civil procedure – revision jurisdiction – Local Council Courts – Section 40 Local Council Courts Act – delegation of supervisory powers ‘may’ not ‘shall’ – High Court jurisdiction not ousted.
17 January 2024
Court set aside dismissal and reinstated suit where counsel's misadvice and lateness amounted to sufficient cause.
Civil procedure – Setting aside dismissal under Order 9 r 22 – Application under Section 98 CPA and Order 9 r 23 – "Sufficient cause" – Liberal construction to advance substantive justice – Counsel's negligence, misadvice or inadvertence may amount to sufficient cause – Reinstatement of suit – Costs.
17 January 2024
An ex parte application to remove a deceased caveator’s beneficiary caveat was dismissed; applicant must sue the caveator’s legal representative.
Land law – Caveats – Beneficiary caveats protecting estates of deceased persons do not lapse automatically and require court-ordered vacation on sufficient cause. Procedure – Caveat lodged by deceased caveator – proper course is to sue the deceased caveator's legal representative and serve notice to show cause. Civil procedure – Ex parte applications to remove beneficiary caveats are irregular where other interested persons exist.
16 January 2024
Warrant of attachment set aside for non‑compliance with court directions and statutory pre‑sale valuation requirements.
• Civil procedure — Review — Warrant of attachment and sale issued by Registrar is an order of court and reviewable. • Mortgage law — Pre-sale valuation — Mortgage Regulations require valuation within six months before sale; failure to produce valuation taints sale. • Enforcement — Execution must follow prior judicial directions on valuation and Registrar's determination; consent judgment governs indebtedness. • Remedies — Court may set aside attachment where valuation procedure and prior orders not complied with; discretionary refusal of independent government valuation or audit where prior orders and consent judgment control.
15 January 2024
Court reviewed and varied a consent judgment affecting a non-party whose exclusion violated the right to a fair hearing.
Civil procedure – Consent judgments – Finality and grounds for setting aside (fraud, mistake, illegality, ignorance of material facts) – Court’s power to vary/review under Order 46(1)(b). Civil procedure – Privity of contract – Consent judgment binds only parties; non-parties may not be bound but may seek review if interests affected. Civil procedure – Service and withdrawal – purported withdrawal without proper notice/ service has no legal effect; right to fair hearing when excluded from proceedings. Costs – Court’s discretion to withhold costs to preserve family relations; costs may abide outcome of pending substantive suit.
15 January 2024
Applicant failed to prove existence or invalidity of respondent's caveat; application to remove caveat dismissed.
Land law – Caveat – Requirement of legal or equitable interest to support a caveat; caveat is temporary protection; applicant bears burden of proof; affidavits alleging existence or invalidity of caveat must be supported by verifiable documentary particulars (instrument number, filing date) annexed to affidavit.
15 January 2024
Court ordered fresh substituted service by newspaper after bona fide efforts to effect personal service failed.
Service of process – substituted service – Order 5 rule 18 CPR – where personal service impracticable court may order substituted service; section 98 (inherent powers) – issuance of fresh summons and service by publication in newspaper.
15 January 2024
Registered title upheld; defendants' unregistered kibanja claim rejected and their occupation found to be trespass.
Land law; registered title versus unregistered kibanja interest; burden and standard of proof; continuing tort of trespass; reliefs—declaratory relief, injunction, vacant possession, general damages and costs.
15 January 2024
The appellant failed to prove compensation or due diligence regarding respondent's kibanja; appeal dismissed.
Land law – unregistered land – purchaser’s duty of due diligence; kibanja compensation – distinction between interests on plot 279 and plot 280; locus visit and evidence appraisal; appellate re-hearing of facts.
15 January 2024
12 January 2024
12 January 2024
12 January 2024
12 January 2024
12 January 2024
12 January 2024
11 January 2024
10 January 2024
9 January 2024
Court ordered maintenance of caveat pending main suit, finding sufficient grounds, timeliness and balance of convenience in applicant’s favor.
Land law – caveat – maintenance of caveat pending main suit – test: sufficient grounds, timely action, balance of convenience (Rutungu test). Civil procedure – interim relief – inherent powers under s.98 Civil Procedure Act and s.33 Judicature Act to preserve status quo. Evidence – uncontested affidavit facts deemed admitted where no reply is filed.
2 January 2024
Court ordered preservation of applicant’s caveat pending main suit, finding balance of convenience and inherent jurisdiction supported maintenance.
Land law – Caveat – Maintenance of caveat pending trial – Requirements: sufficient grounds, ordinary action instituted timeously, balance of convenience. Civil procedure – Inherent powers – Sections 98 CPA and 33 Judicature Act permit preservation orders to protect litigants’ interests. Evidence – Uncontested affidavit evidence deemed admitted and suffices to support interim preservation relief.
2 January 2024