Women and Their Right to Property; An Examination of the Law and Policy in Uganda.

ABSTRACT The research was focused on women and their 1ight to property; an examination of the law and policy in Uganda. The study was be can·ied out with the hope that it enlightens and advance the understanding of women's property rights in Uganda as provided for in the laws. The study iss as a result of observation of the apparent injustice against women in particular the denial of women to own property emerging as a result of exploitation of the loopholes in the statutory laws in place that provide for the rights of ownership of property by women in Uganda as well as customary law that is so prevalent among Ugandans today. This research examined the effectiveness of the Laws providing for property rights in Uganda through looking at how these laws have been applied in matters concerning land, succession or inheritance and divorce Further the chapters addressed the effect of customary practices on the ability of women to own property and whether such practices posses the status of the law. In conclusion of the chapter, the issue of whether the current provisions of the law deny women ownership rights will be resolved. There was recommendations and conclusions. This will be based on the findings that shall have been reflected in the rest of the paper. Although the 1995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda and other international Conventions to which Uganda ratified give protection to women among other persons against abuse of their rights enforcement of those statut01y provisions is difficult as they conflict on specific provisions towards women. Therefore women should be sensitized about their legal rights and obligations to enable them see legal redress where they have been denied their rights to own property. All the same because of this illiteracy, they are not aware of the provisions the law providing for their rights to prope1iy. On the other hand, discrimination against women has its roots in culture and tradition. Therefore, unless there is change in the attitudes of men and women with regard to each other's rights, there is no legislation that can achieve genuine gender equality. It should be noted that changing beliefs in stereotyped roles for men and women in thus a precondition for ensuring equal opportunities for education between boys and girls in the absence of free education.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION ..................................................................................................................................... i

APPROVAL BY SUPERVISOR ............................................................................................................. ii

DEDICATION ..................................................................................................................................... iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ................................................................................................................... iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................................ v

LIST OF ACRONYMS ....................................................................................................................... vii

LIST OF LEGISLATIONS ................................................................................................................ viii

ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................................................... ix

CHAPTER ONE ..................................................................................................................................... 1

INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................... 1

1.0 Background ....................................................................................................................................... 1

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM .................................................................................................. 5

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY .......................................................................................................... 5

I .4 SCOPE OF THE RESEARCH ........................................................................................................... 6

1.5 HYPOTHESIS .................................................................................................................................. 7

1.6 JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY .................................................................................................. 7

1.7 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ..................................................................................... 7

1.8 CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY .................................................................... 12

1.8.1 Data Collection ............................................................................................................................. 12

1.8.2 Primary Data ................................................................................................................................ 12

1.8.3 Secondary Data ............................................................................................................................. 12

1.8.4 Documentaryreview ..................................................................................................................... 13

1.8.8 Ethical Consideration .................................................................................................................... 13

1.9 Limitations of the study ................................................................................................................... 13

1.10 SYNOPSIS OF DISSERTATION .................................................................................................. 14

CHAPTER TWO .................................................................................................................................. 14

CHAPTER FOUR ................................................................................................................................. 14

CHAPTER F!VE ................................................................................................................................... 14

v

CHAPTER TWO .................................................................................................................................. 15

MUNICIPAL LAWS AND CUSTOMARY LAW RELATING TO WOMEN'S PROPERTY RIGHTS 15

2.0How the Current Municipal Law Evolved ......................................................................................... 15

2.2 The Succession Act Chapterl62, Law of Uganda ............................................................................. 27

2.3 The Land Act Cap 227 Law of Uganda ............................................................................................ 28

2.4 The Divorce Act Chapter 249 Law ofUganda .................................................................................. 29

2.5 The Administrative General's Act chapter 157 Law of Uganda ....................................................... 29

2.6 Customary Marriage (Registration) Act Cap 248, Law of Uganda ................................................... 29

CHAPTER THREE ............................................................................................................................... 3D

UGANDAN POLICY OF WOMEN'S RIGHT TO LAND AND PROPERTY ....................................... 30

3.1INHERIT ANCE OR SUCCESSION LAW ...................................................................................... 30

3.1.1 Intestate succession ....................................................................................................................... 34

3.1.2 Testate succession ......................................................................................................................... 35

3.2 DIVORCE LAW ............................................................................................................................. 35

3.3 LAND LAW .................................................................................................................................... 38

CHAPTER FOUR ................................................................................................................................. 44

CHALLENGES OF WOMEN AND THEIR RIGHT TO PROPERTY IN UGANDA ............................ 44

(GAPS, LOOPHOLES AND OVERLAPS) ........................................................................................... 44

4.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 44

4.2 Loopholes In Tue Law ..................................................................................................................... 44

CHAPTER FIVE ................................................................................................................................... 49

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................ 49

5.1 Summary ......................................................................................................................................... 49

52 Conclusions ...................................................................................................................................... 50

5.3 Recommendations ........................................................................................................................... 52

BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................................................. 54