A fresh storm has exploded at the Ministry of Lands, Housing & Urban Development, with the Auditor General’s December 2025 report exposing a trail of financial indiscipline, staffing gaps, delayed services and systemic weaknesses that have now placed top leadership under intense scrutiny.
At the centre of the unfolding drama is Permanent Secretary Dorcas W. Okalany, the administrative head of the Ministry who also serves as the Accounting Officer, Chief Executive Officer, and Information Officer under the Access to Information Act, 2005.
In that powerful position, she carries full responsibility for the Ministry’s financial, administrative and operational decisions. And now, with billions in questionable spending and widespread inefficiencies revealed, the pressure is mounting as the spotlight turns squarely to her office.
The most explosive revelation is the Ministry’s handling of arrears, where UGX 54.94 billion was paid out—far above the budgeted UGX 8.07 billion.
The result is a staggering UGX 46.86 billion classified as unauthorized expenditure, a figure that is already raising eyebrows among accountability watchers and fuelling questions about how such a massive overspend slipped through the cracks.
For a Ministry tasked with managing land, one of the country’s most sensitive and valuable resources, the implications are as serious as they come.
But the problems don’t stop at the money.
The Ministry is also grappling with a crippling staffing crisis. Out of an approved structure of 912 positions, only 603 are filled, leaving a huge gap of 309 vacant positions.
That means more than a third of the workforce is missing, a reality that experts say inevitably slows service delivery and weakens oversight. Adding to the complexity, 316 staff are on contract terms, raising concerns about stability, continuity and institutional memory within one of the country’s most critical ministries.
In what appears to be a system stuck between old and new, the Ministry has also failed to fully transition staff onto the Human Capital Management system.
At least 100 employees remain on the outdated Integrated Payroll system, forcing their salaries to be processed manually. This, the Auditor General warns, exposes the payroll to errors, inaccuracies and potential abuse—an administrative gap that should have been closed long ago.
Procurement processes, another key pillar of accountability, are also under fire. Out of 101 procurements worth UGX 14.11 billion conducted during the year, 29 procurements valued at UGX 2.40 billion were handled manually outside the Electronic Government Procurement system.
In an era where digital systems are meant to enhance transparency and traceability, this heavy reliance on manual processes raises red flags about compliance and control.
Then comes the issue that hits directly at the public—the processing of land titles. Out of 212 files submitted through the Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers system, a staggering 196 submissions, representing 92 percent, were delayed. And not just by a few days. Some delays stretched from 14 days to an unbelievable 1,419 days, meaning that Ugandans seeking land titles could wait for years without resolution.
For a Ministry entrusted with land administration, urban development and housing, such delays are more than just bureaucratic hiccups. They translate into stalled investments, unresolved disputes, and frustrated citizens locked out of opportunities because paperwork simply isn’t moving.
The findings paint a picture of an institution struggling to balance its mandate with its internal challenges. On paper, the Ministry carries the weighty responsibility of managing natural resources, environment, climate change, land, water and sustainable urbanization.
In reality, the Auditor General’s report suggests a system weighed down by inefficiencies, gaps and decisions that have now come back to haunt it.
As the dust settles, attention is firmly fixed on the leadership. With the Accounting Officer role comes ultimate responsibility, and many are now asking whether enough has been done to tighten controls, fill staffing gaps, modernize systems and ensure that public funds are used within the law.
Source: Red Pepper