Industrial Park Land in Uganda: UIA Leases and Warnings

How do I get land in Namanve?

You go to the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA), the state agency that set the park up. Its 2020 public notice, reported by Eagle Online, says the land in the Kampala Industrial and Business Park is vested in the name of UIA, not individuals (source 2). The park was created to give investors land for factories, warehouses, distribution centres and offices. That means a private seller cannot give you good title to a plot inside the park.

We could not open UIA's own application pages, so we cannot list its current steps or fees. What the sources do say: State Minister for Investment Evelyn Anite said in April 2024 that the land is free for investors (source 3), and ordered police to arrest people selling it illegally. Ask UIA, in person at its offices, for the current process and fees, and get every answer in writing.

Foreign and diaspora investors should also ask UIA and an advocate how citizenship affects the type of lease they can hold, since we have not verified that here.

What did UIA warn about fake titles?

On 2 March 2020, UIA published a notice listing parcels in Block 113 (Kyagwe) and others, in Mukono and Wakiso districts, and stated that any allotment, sale, letting, leasing, charging, subdividing or building on them without UIA consent is unlawful and amounts to trespass. It warned that officers of the Land Registration Department who register such dealings or create new titles over the UIA title are committing gross abuse of office, and that people involved face criminal and civil action (source 2). The warning followed reports of individuals selling plots in the park.

This is a notice from 2020, and the list in it is stated to be not limited to the parcels named. Treat every plot inside the park, named or not, as UIA land until UIA confirms otherwise in writing.

How much have investors lost to fake titles and cancelled leases?

There are two different kinds of loss in the public record.

• Fake titles (2024). The Daily Monitor reported on 3 April 2024 that about 300 acres at Namanve were allegedly sold illegally to 30 investors in parcels of 30, 20, 15 and 10 acres, and that the investors paid billions of shillings, with no exact figure given. Anite ordered police to arrest those selling the land and called for prosecution of officials who issued titles. Titles issued by the Mukono land board were later cancelled. Two named dealers face criminal cases and each says he obtained his titles lawfully, so these remain allegations (source 3).
• Leases withdrawn for not developing (2016). The Monitor reported in 2016 that 280 investors were allocated 2,200 acres, only 28 were operational, and at least 107 land titles had been withdrawn. Investors blamed missing roads, power and water. A UIA board policy required allotted land to be developed within 18 months, with construction finished in an initial three years (source 4). That is a 2016 report, so check what applies today.

The lesson from both is the same: a plot at Namanve comes with development duties, and a document from anyone other than UIA is worth nothing.

Why do investors still want Namanve?

Knight Frank's H1 2026 review says Namanve was the clearest gainer among Kampala industrial zones. Its infrastructure programme of paved roads, drainage, water, power, fibre-optic connectivity and street lighting passed 80% completion, with substantial completion targeted for the end of 2026. Rents are the lowest of four zones, at USD 3.0 to 5.5 per square metre a month, and the report says the pull of serviced land in Namanve and other areas keeps heavy manufacturers buying land to build their own premises instead of renting (source 1). If you only need space, read warehouse for rent Kampala first.

What checks should I make before paying for park land?

1. Ask for UIA's written allocation or lease and confirm it with UIA directly, using contact details from UIA's own channels, not those given by the seller.
2. Search the title. The registered proprietor of park land should be UIA, as in its notice. A title in a person's or company's name for a plot in the park is a warning sign.
3. Check the plot number against the park layout and ask whether any part is wetland. The Monitor's 2024 report says buyers on wetland land were to be refunded.
4. Learn the development duties, including deadlines, and the conditions for transfer. UIA's notice says dealings without its consent are unlawful.
5. Pay only as UIA directs, and never in cash to an individual.
6. Use a licensed advocate for all documents.

Land outside the park, in places such as Seeta and Mbalala, follows ordinary title rules. See Land for Sale in Mukono: Seeta, Namanve, Mbalala and Commercial Land for Sale in Uganda: Where and What to Check.

Can I buy industrial park land privately, and what else is there?

Inside a UIA park, no: the evidence above is that dealing with private sellers is unlawful without UIA consent. For privately owned industrial or commercial land elsewhere, see Commercial Land Near Kampala for Development, and for other uses Land for Hotels and Resorts in Uganda, land for school Uganda requirements and Land for a Clinic or Hospital. State-owned land is also the subject of Government Ranch Land in Ankole. The wider market is in Commercial Property in Uganda. We had no live commercial listings on 3 November 2026 (Land & Property listings, Nov 2026), but you can browse commercial listings or ask our team on WhatsApp or by email.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

• Commercial Property in Uganda: Shops, Offices, Warehouses
• Commercial Land Near Kampala for Development
• Land for Hotels and Resorts in Uganda
• Land for Sale in Mukono: Seeta, Namanve, Mbalala
• Warehouses for Rent or Sale in Kampala