Uganda Muslim Supreme Council: New Directive on Land Title Approval for Muslim Schools

• The Uganda Muslim Supreme Council has directed all Muslim-founded schools to obtain prior approval before processing land titles.
• Land titles must clearly indicate both the registered name of the school and the UMSC as the foundation body.
• Schools that have already obtained land titles without indicating UMSC as the foundation body will be reported to the Secretary for Education at UMSC Headquarters.

The Council has observed with concern that some Muslim-founded schools are facilitating the processing of land titles through local governments without adequately addressing the issue of ownership and the identity of the founding body.

The Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) has taken steps to safeguard the ownership, identity, and heritage of institutions established by the Muslim community in Uganda. This move comes after concerns were raised about cases where some Muslim-founded schools are processing land titles through local governments without adequately addressing ownership and the identity of the founding body. The UMSC directive aims to prevent potential loss of ownership and identity, which has previously occurred in some schools due to unclear ownership documentation. For instance, Arua Public Secondary School and Soroti Secondary School have lost their Muslim identity in the past. To address this issue, the UMSC has directed that all Muslim-founded schools must obtain prior approval from the Regional Assistant to the Mufti and the UMSC Headquarters before processing land titles.

The directive emphasizes the importance of clearly indicating both the registered name of the school and the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council as the foundation body on land titles. This arrangement preserves the school's legal identity while safeguarding the proprietary interests of the foundation body. The UMSC has also instructed school authorities to submit all proposed land registration processes to UMSC Headquarters through the respective Regional Assistants for review, guidance, and approval before any transactions are undertaken. Additionally, District Kadhis and Regional Assistants to the Mufti have been directed to identify and report schools that have already obtained land titles without indicating UMSC as the foundation body.

Lawyers advising Muslim-founded schools in Uganda should ensure that their clients comply with the new directive. Failure to do so may result in potential loss of ownership and identity, which could have long-term consequences for these institutions. The UMSC has appealed to Muslim leaders, school administrators, and governing bodies to work together in protecting the ownership, identity, and heritage of Muslim-founded schools across Uganda. By doing so, they can ensure that these institutions remain a vital part of the country's educational landscape for future generations.

Lawyers advising Muslim-founded schools in Uganda should ensure that their clients comply with the new directive by obtaining prior approval from the Regional Assistant to the Mufti and the UMSC Headquarters before processing land titles, to avoid potential loss of ownership and identity.

Source: Original reporting via Nile Post