23/02/2026
1. The Building Control (Amendment) Act, 2025
This law is a direct response to the frequent and tragic collapse of buildings in urban centers. It moves away from "slap-on-the-wrist" fines to much harsher consequences.
* Stiff Penalties: Building without a permit now carries a fine of Shs 20,000 per square meter of the area or up to two years in prison.
* Negligence Liability: If someone's negligence leads to an accident, injury, or death on a site, they face up to 12 years in prison or a fine of Shs 10 million.
* Faster Approvals: To stop "bribing for permits," it streamlines the process. If a local building committee delays your permit without reason, you now have a legal right to appeal directly to the National Building Review Board (NBRB).
2. The Mortgage Refinance Institutions Act, 2025
This is the "money law" aimed at making house loans (mortgages) cheaper and longer.
* Liquidity Support: It allows for specialized institutions to provide long-term funding to banks. This helps banks stop using "short-term deposits" to fund "long-term house loans," which is why interest rates have historically been so high.
* Better Terms: The goal is to move Uganda toward lower interest rates and longer repayment periods (at least 5 years) for everyday home buyers.
* BoU Regulation: The Bank of Uganda is now the official watchdog for these refinance institutions to ensure the housing market doesn't crash.
3. The Valuation Act, 2025
Before this law, property valuation was often inconsistent, leading to disputes over land compensation and bank loans.
* Institute of Certified Valuers: It creates a professional body that every valuer must join. You can no longer just call yourself a "valuer" without being certified and registered.
* Code of Ethics: It introduces a strict professional code. If a valuer gives a false or misleading property value to help someone get a bigger loan or more government compensation, they face a fine of Shs 100 million or two years in jail.