Uganda’s “TOKIGEZA” Campaign to Fight Telecom Vandalism

New multi-stakeholder drive aims to protect critical telecom infrastructure, safeguard connectivity, and penalize vandals.

Kampala, Uganda
The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), alongside telecom operators like MTN, Airtel, and ATC Uganda, has launched a nationwide campaign dubbed “TOKIGEZA” (“Don’t Do It” in Luganda) to address rampant vandalism of telecom infrastructure.

This comes in response to a surge in incidents: theft of cables, lithium batteries, fuel, and generators, which have caused major communication blackouts in several districts.

Under the initiative:

Citizens will be educated through radio, TV, community barazas, and schools.

Law enforcement agencies will beef up response, including setting up a multi-agency task force and stricter legal penalties.

Telecom companies are being encouraged to improve security: install surveillance cameras, reinforce tower structures, and link monitoring systems to national security architecture.

President Museveni has backed the campaign, calling telecom towers “critical national infrastructure” and pledging to involve security forces in protecting them.

Why It Matters:

Telecom infrastructure is essential for economic development, public services, and connectivity.

Vandalism disrupts access to internet, mobile services, and emergency communications.

The campaign could help build community ownership of national infrastructure.

What to Watch:

How effective the campaign is in reducing vandalism.

Whether tougher penalties are enacted and enforced.

Progress on securing remote tower sites, especially in rural areas.