UgandaToday: Land, Leases and Road Reserves: Inside the Get Well Pharmacy Construction Dispute in Mulago Kibuga
An unfolding land dispute in Mulago Kibuga has drawn in multiple state agencies and private interests, raising fresh questions about land administration, development approvals and the protection of public institutions in Uganda’s capital.
At the centre of the controversy is Get Well Pharmacy, a private developer registered in the names of Ssegawa Brian, which has commenced construction of a commercial building on 0.048 hectares of land, now identified as Plot 3532, Ddwaliro Road, Mulago Kibuga. The development has pitted the pharmacy against the Uganda Land Commission (ULC), Mulago National Referral Hospital, Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and, to a lesser extent, Aroma Specialist Hospital, with allegations of encroachment, conflicting ownership claims and possible violation of a road reserve.
Conflicting Claims Over Ownership
According to several official correspondences reviewed by Uganda Today, KCCA issued a land title certificate to Get Well Pharmacy after the developer obtained a 49-year leasehold from the Uganda Land Commission, dated 3rd November 2025. The same documents indicate that KCCA also issued a temporary development permit, paving the way for construction to begin.
However, Mulago National Referral Hospital strongly disputes the legitimacy of the lease and subsequent title, asserting that the land in question forms part of its estate, which it says it lawfully acquired in 1996. Hospital authorities maintain that they are the bona fide occupants and custodians of the land, and that it was never available for allocation to a private developer.
Construction Amid Formal Objections
Despite the objections, Get Well Pharmacy proceeded with construction. Correspondence exchanged among the parties shows that Mulago Hospital, State House, and the National Planning Authority (NPA)—the latter acting on concerns raised by Aroma Specialist Hospital—all lodged formal complaints against the development.
The objections allege that the ongoing construction encroaches on neighbouring land and blocks a key entrance serving Aroma Specialist Hospital, potentially compromising access for patients, staff and emergency services. NEMA’s involvement further signals environmental and planning concerns tied to access, safety and compliance.
Allegations of Road Reserve Encroachment
Beyond ownership disputes, observers and affected parties allege that part of the land registered in the names of Get Well Pharmacy falls within a road reserve along Ddwaliro Road. If substantiated, this would place the development in direct violation of planning and transport regulations, adding another layer of complexity to an already contentious case.
Urban planning experts note that road reserves are protected public spaces meant to facilitate infrastructure expansion, pedestrian movement and safety, and are not legally available for private development.
Questions for KCCA and ULC
The dispute has inevitably turned the spotlight on KCCA and the Uganda Land Commission, the two institutions that processed and approved the lease and title. Critics are questioning how land claimed by a national referral hospital—and allegedly overlapping a road reserve—could be leased and titled without resolving prior interests or objections.
Temporary Development Permission. for getwell
The case echoes longstanding concerns about overlapping mandates, weak inter-agency coordination, and the vulnerability of public land in prime urban areas.
Calls for State Intervention
With construction ongoing and tensions rising, the aggrieved parties are now calling for direct intervention by government and the Head of State to halt further development and institute an independent review of the allocation, titling and approval processes involved.
Temporary Development Permission. for getwell
They argue that without decisive action, the dispute risks setting a dangerous precedent where public health institutions lose land to private interests through contested administrative processes.
As matters stand, the Get Well Pharmacy development remains under intense scrutiny, emblematic of the broader struggles over land governance in Kampala—where competing claims, bureaucratic approvals and rapid urban development frequently collide.
Hashtags
#UgandaToday #PhoenixNewsFeeds #OperaNewsFeeds #LandGovernance #MulagoHospital #UrbanPlanning
Publisher
