Lands Minister Judith Nabakooba Nalule has been presented with a prestigious award from the Pan-African American Leadership Award (PAALA) during a ceremony organized by the African Women in Leadership Organization (AWLO).
At the awards gala which was held on October 13 in Houston, Texas, outstanding leaders of African descent were honoured for their remarkable contributions to communities and industries.
In recognition of her achievements and unwavering dedication to land justice and dignity for all Ugandans, Nabakooba was recognised as a true voice for the voiceless in Uganda’s Land Sector.
The organisers observed that in Uganda, the land sector has long faced challenges of inequity, exploitation, and exclusion but in the midst of these challenges, there are leaders whose voices rise above the noise, stand firm to protect the rights of the vulnerable, and champion justice, transparency, and accountability.
“Tonight, we honour one such leader. A woman whose leadership has transformed the way government engages with ordinary citizens on land matters. A woman who has tirelessly worked to give a voice to those who had been silenced for too long. In recognition of her outstanding leadership, integrity, and tireless commitment to protecting the rights of Uganda’s citizens, Uganda’s Lands Minister Judith Nabakooba has emerged as a powerful and consistent voice for the voiceless in the land sector,” the AWLO said in a statement.
The organisers explained that as minister of lands, she has spearheaded transformative initiatives aimed at addressing long-standing injustices, promoting equitable land governance, and ensuring that marginalized communities are heard and protected.
She has also demonstrated exceptional courage and empathy in confronting systemic challenges in land administration — including land grabbing, corruption, and exploitation of vulnerable groups.
“For example, she has initiated an innovative online land management system that by-passes middlemen and women in land transactions by giving power to land owners and buyers to initiate land transactions, verifying authenticity of ownership and closing sales. Because of her value system for the voiceless, tens of thousands of grassroots households have had their land surveyed and have received documented land titles as proof of ownership.”
The statement highlighted that Nabakooba’s decisive interventions in land conflict areas, her insistence on transparency in land transactions, and her open-door policy for affected communities have given hope and visibility to ordinary citizens who previously felt ignored by the system.
AWLO further noted that through her leadership, the Ministry has prioritized community sensitization, streamlined service delivery, and strengthened institutional accountability, ensuring that government actions respond to the needs of the people.
“She has actively engaged with local leaders, cultural institutions, women, youth, and civil society to build trust and collaborative solutions to complex land issues. Her efforts have helped curb illegal evictions, protect lawful landowners, and uphold the constitutional rights of Ugandans, especially the poor and voiceless.”
The organisers revealed that beyond administrative reforms, Nabakooba has used her public platform to advocate for fairness, justice, and responsible land use.
“Beyond her role as Minister for lands, she previously served as the Woman Member of Parliament for Mityana District. During her tenure, she chaired the Uganda Parliamentary Committee on Defense and Internal Affairs, where she played a significant role in overseeing security and internal affairs policies. She also serves in other regional spaces, she is the Chairperson of the Housing and Urbanisation Sub-Committee under the African Union’s Specialised Technical Committee on Public Service, Local Government, Urban Development, and Decentralization.”
Commenting about her recognition, Nabakooba expressed her gratitude and pledged to do more of what she has been doing to transform the lives of the different vulnerable groups in Uganda and the African continent.
“I am indeed honoured to have this award being presented to me. It is a good gesture to recognise my service to humanity and I feel more energized to do more when I return home .I thank you so much for this honour and I pledge my commitment to AWLO. This is great for us Africans and you have made Africans excel especially women and girl children. When I go back to Uganda I promise to engage, mobilise fellow women leaders to join this important women organization,” she stated .
Other highlights of the event included an inspiring keynote speech by Nyakan June, networking sessions , and celebration of resilience and excellence in leadership across the Pan-African and American landscapes.
