Naita-A-Tepeth Communal Land Association has officially signed a lease agreement with the government of Uganda through the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA), marking a major milestone that opens up 10,000 acres of community-owned land in Moroto District for investment in the mining and industrial sectors.
The agreement will grant the government access to land that was earmarked as a source of raw materials to facilitate establishment of the first cement clinker factory in Uganda by Tororo Cement at Katikekile in Moroto District.
This development is the result of over a year of extensive consultations and negotiations led by the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, following a directive from President Museveni to unlock the economic potential of the Karamoja sub-region.
The process was rooted in transparency, respect for customary ownership, and the inclusion of local voices—from elders, district leaders, and the Catholic Church, to the wider Naita-A-Tepeth community.
The signing which happened at the Office of the Prime Minister was witnessed by ministers, members of parliament, the Director General Uganda Investment Authority, leaders from Moroto District Local Government, the leadership of Natia-A-Tepth Communal Land Association, the investors-Tororo Cement Management.
According Lands Minister, Judith Nabakooba who represented the Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja at the official signing, the journey started in 2023 with the visionary leadership of President Museveni convincing his friend the Chairman of Tororo Cement Ltd Mr Hasmukhbhai Patel (RIP) to consider establishing this factory in Moroto, Uganda instead of continued import of the same raw material from Kenya and elsewhere,. Uganda was losing a lot in foreign exchange and revenue.
She explained that her involvement in the project started when Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja instructed her ministry to fasttrack and coordinate the process of land acquisition between the community and the investor in February, 2024
“My ministry immediately took on the assignment by convening a meeting of all the keys stakeholders to appraise the assignment, a number of meetings were held in Kampala, State House, Tororo and later on we made a community visit to Katikekile in Moroto to consultant with the community but also see the land in question, hear the community concerns and build confidence of the project. The community was receptive to the project,” she said.
The project scope was for the acquisition of 10,000 acres of land which is communally owned by a community under a Communal Land Association called Natia-A-Tepth Communal Land Association.
Communal Land Associations are special purpose vehicles formed and registered by the Ministry of Lands to mobilize and organize vulnerable communities to secure their right over land they occupy.
The government through the Ministry of Lands committed to support the project. The ministry undertook to survey and demarcate the land in question, convert the customary certificate of title to freehold, cut off the 500 acres sold and also demarcate and title land for public purpose. All this was done at government cost.
“Of the 10,000 acres, it was agreed that the investor be sold off 500 acres in freehold on the part where the factory is being established. This was dually done; the community was paid and the title was handed over to the investor” Nabakooba said.
The minister explained that the second phrase was for the government to acquire a lease for 49 years of 9,450 acres on an area earmarked for raw materials to support the factory. The proposal was presented to the cabinet which approved the transaction, the premium for the land was agreed and the Ministry of Finance approved the transaction.
Nabakooba revealed that the lease agreement was prepared and agreed upon by all the parties and approved by the Attorney General, the mode of payment is that an initial payment of Shs 2 billion is paid upon signing of the lease agreement, and the balance has been budgeted for in the next financial year.
She explained that after the signing, lease titles are going to be created for the government of Uganda under the names of Uganda Investment Authority as the lessee and the freehold titles will be returned to the management of the Communal Land Association.
She revealed that the establishment of the project should bring transformative benefits to the community, the district and the country.
“I urge the investor to treat the community well, give them opportunities to work, business or dealerships, protect the environment and equally the community should support the investor in every way to ease seemingly less operations,” the minister advised.
She hailed President Museveni for the leadership he provided in this matter and the possession shown to the people of Karamonja, the First Lady and Former Minister for Karamoja, Janet Museveni, the Prime Minister, Hon Perter Lokeris, the office of the Attorney General, the leadership of Moroto District, Cartis Moroto, the management of Naita, the technical officers in the lands ministry led by the Permanent Secretary for their efforts at the time.
She also thanked the ground team headed by Mr Bigiira, the Acting Commissioner Land Registration who trekked the journey to Moroto several times, the management of Tororo cement who accepted to invest in Moroto, Manish the footsoldier , members of parliament from Moroto, the police and UPDF for security during the exercise ,and the RDCs office Moroto.
About the titles
The title are Freehold Register Volume MOR 28 Folio 8 Plot 496 Block 1 Land at Katikekile measuring 3,127.1049 hectares in the names of Naita A Tepth Communal Land Association and Freehold Register Volume MOR 28 Folio 10 Plot 502 Block 1 Land at Katikekile measuring 700.3836 hectares in the names of Naita A Tepth Communal Land Association.
The other institutional titles for the church, school and the hospital which were received by the local council 5 chair person were Freehold Register Volume MOR 28 Folio 1 Plot 501 Block 1 Land at Katikekile measuring 8.8050 hectares in the names of Moroto District Local
Government (Kosiroi Primary School) and Freehold Register Volume MOR 28 Folio 3 Plot 500 Block 1 Land at Katikekile measuring 14.9843 hectares in the names of Moroto District Local Government (Kosiroi Health Centre).
