East Africa Property Hub: Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda
Updated 3 November 2026 · Land & Property editorial team
Foreigners cannot freely own land in any of the four countries. Uganda and Kenya allow non-citizens leasehold of up to 99 years, Tanzania allows non-citizens land only for approved investment, and Rwanda allows long leases, with freehold only in exceptional cases. Of the four, only Kenya has an agent-licensing body we could confirm as operating. Uganda is covered in depth here. As of November 2026.
Can foreigners own land in East Africa?
Not on the same terms as citizens, in any of the four countries. The table shows the route open to a non-citizen, with the type of source behind each row so you can judge how far to trust it. It is a guide for orientation, not legal advice, and each country's law changes, so confirm with a local advocate.
| Country | What a non-citizen can hold | Term and conditions | Source type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uganda | Leasehold only. Not mailo, freehold or customary land. | Lease of up to 99 years. A company counts as a non-citizen where non-citizens control it or its articles do not restrict share transfers to non-citizens. Constitution Art. 237 and the Land Act (s.41 in the 2023 revised edition). | Statute on ULII and a Monitor article on a Court of Appeal decision |
| Kenya | Leasehold only. | Lease of up to 99 years under Article 65 of the Constitution. A company counts as a citizen only if citizens wholly own it. | Kenya Law Reform Commission text, read through a search extract |
| Tanzania | A derivative right, only for approved investment. | Land Act s.20(1) allows allocation to non-citizens for investment under the Tanzania Investment Act. Foreign companies cannot hold village land. A derivative right runs for 10 days less than the underlying granted right. | Law firm article (Clyde & Co) |
| Rwanda | Long lease; freehold only by presidential order in exceptional cases. | Under Law No. 27/2021 leases of up to 99 years are available. A foreigner may hold a residential plot for one single-family house, and larger plots or several units need an approved investment plan. | Newspaper analysis of the law (The New Times) |
Uganda comes first because it is where we list. The full side-by-side is in Buying Land in East Africa as a Foreigner: Compared and the Uganda-Kenya contrast is in Uganda vs Kenya Land Tenure Compared. For the Uganda rules in depth, read Uganda land law and land titles.
Which East African country licenses estate agents?
Kenya is the only one of the four where we could confirm an operating licence. Elsewhere a reform is on the way, which is why verifying an agent yourself matters.
| Country | Position as of November 2026 | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Uganda | We found no licensing regime in force. The Lands Minister said on 9 September 2026 that the Real Estate Bill is being fast-tracked to professionalise the industry and protect the public from fraud. | Daily Monitor, 11 September 2026 |
| Kenya | Only agents registered and licensed by the Estate Agents Registration Board, with a current practising annual certificate, may practise. | Estate Agents Registration Board |
| Tanzania | The Real Estate Regulatory Authority was still awaiting Cabinet approval on 8 July 2026, so it is not yet established. | The Citizen |
| Rwanda | Brokerage is not licensed. The National Land Authority is drafting a framework with the real estate professionals' association, with a target of September 2026. It is not yet law. | AllAfrica, 20 July 2026 |
Our own standard for agents is the same everywhere: a National ID check and a live selfie, then a Verified badge. Read How to Check a Kenyan Property Agent Is Registered to check a Kenyan agent's registration, and How to Spot a Fake Property Agent in Uganda for warning signs anywhere.
Can a Kenyan, Tanzanian or Rwandan buy land in Uganda?
On the sources we found, they are treated like other non-citizens: leasehold only, for up to 99 years. We found no source that gives East African Community citizens a different rule on land, so do not assume one. Buyers from the region should confirm their position with a Ugandan advocate and with the Ministry of Lands before paying. Our page Can a Kenyan Buy Land in Uganda? goes through the process step by step, including checking the title.
To see what is for sale, start with our live listings and escorted site visits.
How do prime office and warehouse yields compare?
Knight Frank, as reported by Business Daily, gives these prime yields on rent. They are indicative, cover prime buildings only, and exclude tax and vacancy. We have no verified Rwandan benchmark, so Kigali is left out rather than guessed.
| Prime asset | Kampala | Dar es Salaam | Nairobi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office yield (H1 2026) | About 9% | About 9% | About 8.5%, unchanged since June 2023 |
| Warehouse yield | About 13% | About 10% | About 9.5% |
The warehouse article dates its figures to H1 2026 in one place and H1 2025 in another, so use them as a rough guide. See commercial property in Uganda for the Ugandan detail.
Where do I find each country guide?
These guides carry facts, not property listings. We have no listings outside Uganda, so we do not run for-sale pages for Nairobi, Dar es Salaam or Kigali. The Nairobi page is a rental guide by estate.
Across the region
- Buying Land in East Africa as a Foreigner: Compared
- Uganda vs Kenya Land Tenure Compared
- Land Scams Across East Africa: Common Patterns
- Can a Kenyan Buy Land in Uganda?
Kenya
- Kenya Land Ownership Guide for Ugandan Investors
- How to Check a Kenyan Property Agent Is Registered
- Ardhisasa Land Search in Kenya: How It Works
- Houses and Apartments for Rent in Nairobi by Estate
- Become a Verified Property Agent: Kenya
Tanzania
Rwanda
Agents
How do I join as a verified agent?
If you sell or rent property in East Africa, you can join as a verified agent and reach buyers in Uganda and the diaspora. We verify your identity from your National ID and a live selfie, and you receive a Verified badge. An office or phone interview can add an extra badge for that month, and land-title checks at the registry are a paid service. Agents list free at launch, and paid plans come later. Kenyan agents should also hold a current EARB practising certificate, as Become a Verified Property Agent: Kenya explains. Start at agent onboarding or read our agents hub.
In this section
- Buying Land in East Africa as a Foreigner: ComparedTenure, lease limits, company rules and registry notes for Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda in one table, with confidence flags. Nov 2026.
- Can a Kenyan Buy Land in Uganda?Kenyans are non-citizens under Uganda's land law: leasehold up to 99 years, no mailo or freehold. We found no EAC exemption. Nov 2026.
- Kenya Land Ownership Guide for Ugandan InvestorsKenyan tenure, the leasehold-only rule for foreigners, 4% stamp duty in gazetted towns and agent licensing, compared with Uganda first.
- Land Scams Across East Africa: Common PatternsA cross-country table of land-scam patterns and the registry check that answers each. Sources cited, Nov 2026.
- Rwanda Land Ownership Guide for Ugandan InvestorsState title, long leases, e-titles via Irembo, and the lease term for foreigners, with what is unconfirmed flagged. Nov 2026.
- Tanzania Land Ownership Guide for Ugandan InvestorsGeneral and village land, rights of occupancy and the TIC derivative-right route for foreign investors. Nov 2026.
- Uganda vs Kenya Land Tenure ComparedMailo, freehold, leasehold and customary against Kenya's freehold, leasehold and community land. Dated Nov 2026.
- Verified Agents in Tanzania and RwandaOne recruitment page for Tanzanian and Rwandan agents: local rules to follow, our verification and what you can list.
Frequently asked questions
Can foreigners own land in East Africa?
Not on citizens' terms. In Uganda and Kenya a non-citizen can hold leasehold of up to 99 years only. In Tanzania, non-citizens can be allocated land only for investment approved under the Tanzania Investment Act. In Rwanda, long leases are available and freehold needs a presidential order. Confirm each rule locally.
Which East African country licenses estate agents?
Kenya does, through the Estate Agents Registration Board, and only licensed agents with a current practising certificate may practise. Uganda has a Real Estate Bill that is being fast-tracked, Tanzania's regulator awaits Cabinet approval, and Rwanda is drafting a framework. As of November 2026 we found none of those three operating.
Can a Kenyan buy land in Uganda?
On the sources we found, a Kenyan is a non-citizen for land purposes and can hold leasehold only, for up to 99 years. We found no source giving East African Community citizens a different rule. Confirm with a Ugandan advocate before paying, and check the title at the registry.
Does Land & Property list property outside Uganda?
No. All our listings are in Uganda. The Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda pages explain land rules and agent verification and welcome agents. We do not run for-sale pages for Nairobi, Dar es Salaam or Kigali until agents there hold real, verified listings.
Sources
- Land Act (Cap. 236, 2023 revised edition), s.41 acquisition of land by non-citizens, ULII (accessed 2026-11)
- Can foreign companies own land in Uganda?, Daily Monitor (accessed 2026-11)
- Article 65, landholding by non-citizens, Constitution of Kenya, Kenya Law Reform Commission (accessed 2026-11)
- Steps in registering with the Estate Agents Registration Board, Estate Agents Registration Board (Kenya) (accessed 2026-11)
- Land acquisition in Tanzania: what foreign investors should know, Clyde & Co (accessed 2026-11)
- Foreigners' rights on land in Rwanda: the new land law and its impact on investment, The New Times (accessed 2026-11)
- Govt targets fraud, unqualified agents in real estate bill, Daily Monitor (accessed 2026-11)
- Real estate regulatory agency coming to clean up the sector, The Citizen (Tanzania) (accessed 2026-11)
- Rwanda drafts framework to regulate real estate brokers, AllAfrica (accessed 2026-11)
- Nairobi prime office rental yield stuck on higher supply (Knight Frank H1 2026), Business Daily (accessed 2026-11)
- Kampala, Dar extend dominance over Nairobi in warehouse rent yield, Business Daily (accessed 2026-11)