The Right to Own Property: Towards a Just and Fair Compensation in Uganda’s Oil Sector

The document examines the conflict between Uganda's constitutional property rights and the practical application of land acquisition laws in the oil sector. It highlights systemic failures in compensation processes, the inadequacy of current legislation, and the vulnerability of grassroots landowners facing displacement for oil-related infrastructure.

• Uganda's legal and policy framework for land acquisition is flawed, failing to provide comprehensive procedures and contradicting the 1995 Constitution of Uganda.
• While the 1995 Constitution requires prompt payment of fair and adequate compensation prior to land acquisition for public use, these guarantees are frequently ignored in practice and in supporting regulations.
• Compensation for customary landowners is often insufficient and based on inaccurate valuations because District Land Boards fail to compile and review compensation rates for crops and non-permanent buildings on time.
• The Land Acquisition Act contains procedural barriers that marginalize poor landowners, including unrealistic timelines for notices and a reliance on the High Court for appeals, which is unaffordable for many.
• Under the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act of 1985, the line minister can authorize license holders to exercise rights on private land without consulting the owner, violating property rights.
• Infrastructure projects for the oil sector have already caused significant hardship; for example, the construction of the 92 kilometre Hoima–Kaiso–Tonya road and the planned refinery in Kabaale have left thousands of residents in suspense regarding resettlement.

APA

Tumusiime, F. (2012). The Right to Own Property: Towards a Just and Fair Compensation in Uganda’s Oil Sector. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Policy-Briefing-60.pdf

Chicago

Tumusiime, Francis. The Right to Own Property: Towards a Just and Fair Compensation in Uganda’s Oil Sector. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2012. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Policy-Briefing-60.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Tumusiime |first1=Francis |title=The Right to Own Property: Towards a Just and Fair Compensation in Uganda’s Oil Sector |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=November 2012 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Policy-Briefing-60.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{tumusiime2012right, author = {Tumusiime, Francis}, title = {{The Right to Own Property: Towards a Just and Fair Compensation in Uganda’s Oil Sector}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2012}, month = nov, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Policy-Briefing-60.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }