Uganda vs Kenya Land Tenure Compared

How is Uganda's land tenure different from Kenya's?

The two countries share a common-law background but built different systems. Uganda's tenure types are mailo, freehold, leasehold and customary (Land Act and Constitution of Uganda, Article 237). Kenya's are freehold and leasehold, with land classed as public, community or private under Articles 61 to 63 of the Constitution of Kenya. Our sources for Kenya's side were secondary, so check each point with a Kenyan advocate.

Is there mailo in Kenya?

No. We found no mailo category in the tenure types that the Kenyan sources describe, which are freehold, leasehold, and public and community land. Mailo is a feature of Uganda's land history, and in our listings it is the most common tenure by far: of 93 published listings on 3 November 2026, 57 stated mailo, 4 stated freehold, 2 stated leasehold and 30 did not state a tenure (Land & Property listings, Nov 2026). For a plain-words guide to each Ugandan type see land tenure systems in Uganda.

A Kenyan used to a "title deed" will see familiar words on a Ugandan certificate of title, but the rights behind it can differ. For example, mailo land may carry people who already live and farm on it. Always ask the agent what tenure the listing has before you travel to see it.

What are the foreign limits in each country?

Both countries limit non-citizens to leasehold, with the same 99-year ceiling:

• Uganda. A non-citizen may be granted a lease of up to 99 years and shall not acquire or hold mailo or freehold land (Land Act, Cap 236, s.41). A company controlled by non-citizens is treated as a non-citizen. The full case for Kenyan buyers is on Can a Kenyan Buy Land in Uganda?
• Kenya. The Constitution of Kenya, Article 65, limits non-citizens to leasehold of up to 99 years, and treats a company as a citizen only if citizens wholly own it. Secondary sources disagree on how freehold held by foreigners before 2010 was treated, so we leave that point out. See the Kenya Land Ownership Guide for Ugandan Investors.

For all four countries side by side see Buying Land in East Africa as a Foreigner.

How do the registries compare?

Both countries have an online search, and both are still digitising records. Uganda's is the National Land Information System, explained on UgNLIS Online Land Search, and Daily Monitor reported in April 2026 that the lands ministry says it is digitising records to reduce fraud. Kenya's is Ardhisasa, explained on Ardhisasa land search. One guide gives the Ardhisasa search fee as KES 500, which we mark as unconfirmed.

In both, an online search is a first check. Daily Monitor reports that Uganda police recorded 663 land fraud cases in 2025, and a Kenyan lands official has warned about fake titles. The patterns are on Land Scams Across East Africa.

How do transfer taxes compare?

Only part of the picture is confirmed. In Kenya, EY reported that a 5 April 2024 directive from the Principal Secretary for Lands set stamp duty at 4% for land transfers in gazetted towns and municipalities, with immediate effect. EY's note did not state the rate outside those areas. For Uganda we have not confirmed the current stamp duty rate for this page, so we do not state one. Ask the Uganda Revenue Authority or an advocate.

Do not compare headline rates alone. Compare the total: stamp duty, legal fees, registration fees, survey costs and any consent needed. Our listings give prices only, so budget these on top of the price.

What should a buyer do first?

1. Name the tenure of the parcel in writing before paying anything.
2. Check whether your nationality limits you to a lease.
3. Search the title on the right registry and meet the registered owner.
4. Use a local advocate to confirm the structure and the taxes.

If you are a Ugandan agent or a Kenyan agent with cross-border clients, you can join as a verified agent, and anyone can browse all listings. The regional overview is the East Africa Property Hub.

Listings available now

Live from Land & Property on 4 November 2026. Prices are the sellers' asking prices.

• 25 Decimals in Bunga at Ugx820m Buziga, Kampala · Plot UGX 820,000,000
• 470 acres in Kikyusa Kamira at Ugx10m per acre Kamira, Luwero · Farmland UGX 10,000,000 per acre
• 1 acre for sale in Kololo at $2,500,000 Kololo, Kampala · Plot UGX 9,250,000,000
• 150 acres in Kalongo Nakasongola at Ugx5.8m per acre Kalongo, Nakasongola · Farmland UGX 5,800,000 per acre
• 120 acres in Kisozi Nakaseke at Ugx6.5m per acre Nakaseke · Farmland UGX 6,500,000 per acre
• 300 acres Migyeera Nakasongola on tarmac at Ugx12m per acre Migyera, Nakasongola · Farmland UGX 12,000,000 per acre

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

• East Africa Property Hub: Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda
• Ardhisasa Land Search in Kenya: How It Works
• Buying Land in East Africa as a Foreigner: Compared
• Kenya Land Ownership Guide for Ugandan Investors
• Land Scams Across East Africa: Common Patterns
• Land Tenure in Uganda: Mailo, Freehold, Leasehold, Customary