KAMPALA UGANDA -25th April, 2025: The Inspector General of Government (IGG), Hon. Beti Kamya Turwomwe, has directed the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Lands and Urban Development, Mrs. Dorcas Okalany, to interdict Mr. Baker Mugaino, Commissioner for Land Registration with immediate effect, to pave the way for investigations into allegations of fraudulent cancellation and transfer of land titles.
This follows the search and seizure of the office of the Commissioner at the Ministry of Lands on 24th April, 2025 after the Inspectorate received several complaints implicating Mr. Mugaino. Documents were retrieved to aid the investigations.
The accusations include cancellation of genuine Certificates of Titles and replacing them with fake Special Certificates of Titles, arbitrary lifting of caveats and facilitating formation of double/multiple Certificates of Title on a single piece of land.
Others are issuing of Freehold Titles to foreigners, changing Mailo Land Titles to Freehold Titles or Leasehold Titles to Freehold Titles without following the requisite procedures, and circumventing Legal or Statutory procedures while committing the above misdemeanors such as failure to hold public hearings or disregard of court decisions.
His interdiction is pursuant to Article 225 (1) (e) of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda 1995 and Section 7(1) (e) of the IG Act, CAP 32 as well as Article 230(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda and Section 13(6) of the IG Act, CAP32.
According to a statement from the IGG’s office, Mrs Okalany is expected to inform the IGG of the action in seven days.
In the statement, the IG further urges all public officers to uphold ethical guidelines while holding public offices.
