Museveni signs three key housing and construction laws
The new laws introduce tougher penalties for illegal construction and non-compliance with approved building standards, a move expected to enhance safety and accountability in the country’s rapidly expanding urban areas
KAMPALA, February 20, 2026 — President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has today assented to three key pieces of legislation aimed at strengthening regulation in Uganda’s construction, housing finance and valuation sectors.
Museveni signed into law the Building Control [Amendment] Act, 2025, the Mortgage Refinance Institutions Act, 2025, and the Valuation Act, 2025 at State House Entebbe.
The new laws introduce tougher penalties for illegal construction and non-compliance with approved building standards, a move expected to enhance safety and accountability in the country’s rapidly expanding urban areas.
Under the Mortgage Refinance Institutions Act, 2025, the Bank of Uganda is empowered to regulate mortgage refinance institutions, a step intended to strengthen oversight of the housing finance sector and improve access to long-term financing for homeowners.
Meanwhile, the Valuation Act, 2025 provides for the establishment of the Institute of Certified Valuers to oversee professional standards, registration and regulation of valuers in Uganda.
The enactment of the three laws is expected to streamline construction oversight, deepen the mortgage market and professionalise valuation services in support of the country’s urban development and housing growth.
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