Land Laws And Their Effect On Foreign Direct Investment In Uganda.

ABSTRACT

The benefits of Foreiqn Direct in vestment for economic development

have been well established in the exi~ting literature. Forei~in investors

need land to conduct their business when they move to invest in a

certain locality Yet little, if any, land in Uganda is vacant, idle and

unclaimed. As a resul4, many companies experience difficulties

securIng land for their operations. The researcher therefore set out to

examine the laws governing /anc4 particularly in respect of access to

land and land ownership by foreiqn Investors in Uganda by answering

the following research questions; (I) What are the laws governing land

access in Uganda. (ii) What are the laws governing land ownershi7’ in

Uganda. (iii) Is there a link between land access and land ownershi~

and foreIqn direct investment in Uganda? ThL5 was done by reviewing

the legal framework for land access, ownershi7 and the institutions put

in place for land admin,~tration and how they impacted FDI In Uganda.

In particulai~ assessment was made of the poilcy and operational

framework in terms of how to obtain access to land, which ownershio

riqhts accrue to foreI~i’n investors and what kind of protection i~

guaranteed to the riqhts acquired. Using interview Guide and Archival

Analysis, has been established that there is no policy framework to lay

down the framework for the Implementation of the laws and that

foreiqn ownershi7 of land though prohibited does not Influence PDI

inflow. On the other hana~ easy access to land can positively impact the

inflow of FDI into the countty, but this is not the only factor to be

considered.