The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development has reassured Ugandans that the newly inaugurated Physical Planners Board will not take over private land but will instead guide and regulate how land is planned, used, and developed across the country.
Amid public concerns that the board could interfere with private ownership, the ministry emphasised that its mandate is limited to enforcing planning standards and ensuring that land development is orderly, lawful, and sustainable.
‘Physical planning is not only about buildings, architects, and surveyors; it also involves allocating land for food production and other national needs. Ugandans should uplift the work of physical planners to improve planning at both national and local levels. Physical planning is fundamental to sustainable land use, tenure security, and national development,’ said Ms Dorcas Okalany, the Permanent Secretary, during the swearing-in of the new board members yesterday.
Ms Okalany added: ‘The board is not going to take over people’s land. No. Our role is to plan how land should be used, which is why public awareness and sensitisation are important.’ She noted that while many Ugandans still rely on traditional knowledge of housing and land organisation, modern development requires professional planning to ensure sustainable land use, orderly growth, and improved livelihoods.
The ministry said this is the first board established under the Physical Planners Act, passed in 2023, and it is tasked with regulating physical planning professionals and promoting organised development nationwide.
The permanent secretary explained that although the Act was enacted in 2023, constituting the board took longer than anticipated because members had to undergo a rigorous vetting process to assess their expertise, integrity, and compliance with professional standards. In many fast-growing towns, land has been subdivided into tiny, irregular plots without consideration for future roads, drainage, electricity lines, or public facilities.
Real-estate dealers, often lacking proper planning backgrounds, have sliced up land purely for profit, creating congested settlements with minimal amenities. In municipalities and town councils, roads are often too narrow for emergency vehicles, abruptly end in dead-ends, or flood during rains due to poor drainage. Essential spaces for schools, health centres, markets, green areas, and recreational grounds are frequently omitted.
The new Physical Planners Board said one of its first tasks is to crack down on ‘quack planners’ – unqualified individuals preparing subdivision plans for unsuspecting landowners. ‘There have been many quack planners, people doing the work without any qualifications.
A physical planner should hold at least a diploma or degree in physical planning. Previously, anyone could wake up and start designing land subdivisions,’ said Mr Derek Alfred Muhwezi, the new board chairperson.
He explained that architects and surveyors have stamps, and going forward, town councils, municipalities, and city councils will require a stamp from a registered physical planner to approve subdivisions. Only planners registered with the board will be authorised to issue these stamps, which act as proof of professionalism and accountability.
‘This board is not here to grab people’s land. We are here to ensure it is used wisely, safely, and sustainably,’ Mr Muhwezi said.