Uganda’s top telecom operators, in collaboration with the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), have launched a nationwide initiative to address the escalating problem of vandalism against communication infrastructure.
The campaign, dubbed “TOKIGEZA” (meaning “don’t do it” in Luganda), is a joint effort led by MTN, Airtel, and American Tower Company (ATC) under the unifying call, “Stop the Disruption.”
This initiative follows last year’s National Telecom Stakeholder Forum on Vandalism and reinforces the commitments made by President Yoweri Museveni to take decisive action against damage to essential telecom facilities. The goal of the campaign is to raise public awareness and mobilize communities to protect the critical assets that ensure national connectivity.
In recent years, Uganda’s telecom infrastructure has increasingly been targeted by vandalism, with thieves stealing cables, lithium-ion batteries, generators, and fuel, leading to significant service disruptions.
Between 2022 and 2024, telecom operators reported approximately 820 incidents of cable theft, 283 cases of fuel robbery, 90 instances of battery theft, and numerous site outages—some lasting more than 134 hours—that affected entire districts such as Sheema, Kaliro, and Masaka.
Nyombi Thembo, the executive director of the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), underscored the indispensable role of telecom infrastructure beyond mere convenience. He explained, “It is the backbone of national development, powering key sectors like education, banking, health, and security. Vandalism disrupts livelihoods, impedes emergency access, and curtails economic opportunities. TOKIGEZA represents our collective commitment to stopping this destructive trend.”
Adding to this, Dorothy Ssemanda, CEO of ATC, stated, “Our infrastructure connects communities across Uganda. When sites are vandalized or cables are stolen, entire regions lose these crucial links. Despite investments in renewable energy and community development, these endeavors are undermined without proper protection. TOKIGEZA is a call to all Ugandans to safeguard what keeps us connected.”
