Start-up: “I want to become large landowner in Uganda.” 

UP!: “Okaaay.”

 

Step 1: You need to know locals and have a strong and trustworthy relationship with at least one (i.e. EduGlobe: their teacher Godfrey). This step is crucial and probably the most difficult.

            

You are missing this? Message us, we would be happy to facilitate relations to other locals through existing relationships between our projects and their partner. Be aware that a trustworthy relationship needs some time to be built and grows easier when your project actually visits Uganda (or one of our partners).

 

Step 2: Find land, that is actually for sale. When visiting Uganda, you can find a lot of signs stating “not for sale”. This is an attempt against scam, because people try to sell off land that is not theirs. Therefor, always visit the land you want to buy and make sure that it is actually for sale.

 

Start-up: “How can I actually be sure, that it is for sale?”

 

Step 3: Visit your soon to be land and your potential neighbors. Let them sign the treaty between the seller and you in order to verify the borders of your land. Obviously, the bigger your land, the more complicated it gets to get an overview of your potential belongings. 

 

Start-up: “So, who should sign my treaty in the best case?”

UP!: “You or your trusted local, the local mayor, two witnesses and all your neighbors. The more the merrier.”

Start-up: “Anything else I should know?”

 

Step 4: Costs. They are not easy to calculate, depending on the size of your land, but also on some “extra” expenses. I.e. your witnesses might expect you to invite them to dinner. Money is being paid in cash or via mobile money. 

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Example from EduGlobe:

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Fun facts: The land you are now owning is the property of the king of Uganda. When you want to buy it and get a land title, which is comparable to the German Grundbuch, you must go to a specific office and spend more money on the whole bureaucracy. Instead, you can sign a Pachtvertrag, like EduGlobe, which grants them the usage of the land for the next 90 years. 2110 EduGlobe will have the opportunity, before everyone else, to prolong the treaty. 

 

Last but not least: Check for gravestones on your land. Family and ancestors are very important in Uganda, and it is easy to argue for someone “This is my land, my ancestors lie here. Why should I sell it? This man or women is lying.” And what if you find gravestones? Well, in that case we would be happy if you share your experiences with us in the comments.