The Church of Uganda, in partnership with the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, has launched a mass land titling initiative aimed at securing and protecting church property across dioceses in the Kigezi region.

The program is expected to help churches acquire official land titles at a subsidized cost, strengthen legal ownership, and reduce the growing cases of land disputes involving church property.

The mass land titling initiative for Church of Uganda properties has officially been launched at Rugarama Hill in Kabale District under Kigezi Diocese, marking the beginning of a wider exercise expected to cover dioceses across the country.

Speaking during the launch, the Bishop of Kigezi Diocese, Rt. Rev. Gaddie Akanjuna, welcomed the government’s intervention, describing the program as timely and important in protecting church land from encroachment and ownership conflicts.

He noted that processing individual land titles normally costs more than three million shillings, but under the new arrangement, churches will contribute only four hundred thousand shillings per title.

Bishop Akanjuna urged Christians to support the initiative financially so that churches can secure proper ownership documents for their land and future developments.

The Bishop of Kinkizi Diocese, Rt. Rev. Dan Zoreka, also welcomed the program and called upon Christians to cooperate fully with officials overseeing the exercise.

The Bishop of Muhabura Diocese, Rt. Rev. Godfrey Mbitse, described the initiative as a major step towards strengthening institutional ownership of church property.

Representing North Kigezi Diocese, the Diocesan Secretary, speaking on behalf of Bishop Rt. Rev. Onesimus Asiimwe, assured the ministry of the diocese’s full support towards the implementation of the program.

Denis Obbo, the team leader of the Church of Uganda Mass Land Titling Project, said Kigezi was selected as the starting point before the exercise is rolled out to other dioceses nationwide.

Rev. Dr. Tumuhimbise Jasper, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Church Commissioners Holding Company Limited, said proper land documentation is critical in safeguarding church assets and supporting long-term institutional development.

Officials say the mass land titling initiative is expected to strengthen legal ownership of Church of Uganda property, minimize land disputes, and protect church assets for future generations.