Ugandan telcos, in collaboration with the Ugandan Communications Commission (UCC), have started a nationwide anti-vandalism campaign to combat the interruption of communication infrastructure across the country.
The program, called "TOKIGEZA," a Luganda term that means "don't do it," is co-led by MTN, Airtel, and American Tower Company (ATC) under the theme "Stop the Disruption."
The Stop the Disruption campaign is a direct result of last year's National Telecom Stakeholder Forum on Vandalism, and it follows a high-level engagement with Uganda's president, who pledged decisive action against acts of vandalism targeting critical telecom infrastructure, according to MTN.
Telecom infrastructure around the country has been increasingly targeted, with thieves stealing cables, lithium-ion batteries, generators, and gasoline, hampering critical communication services.
Between 2022 and 2024, telecom operators reported approximately 820 incidents of cable vandalism, 283 fuel thefts, 90 battery thefts, and several site outages.
The acts caused severe outages, some lasting more than 134 hours, affecting entire districts such as Sheema, Kaliro, and Masaka, according to MTN.
According to Nyombi Thembo, executive director of UCC, telecom infrastructure is no longer just a convenience; it is the backbone of national growth, powering education, banking, health, and security. He underlined how vandalism affects critical elements of the economy.
“When a tower is vandalised, it is not just a pole brought down, it is the disruption of livelihoods, access to emergency services, and economic opportunity. TOKIGEZA is our united front to stop this trend in its tracks.”
Dorothy Ssemanda, CEO of ATC added: “Our infrastructure supports our customers to connect their customers across Uganda. When a site is vandalised or a fibre cable is stolen, entire communities are cut off.
“We are investing heavily in renewable energy, grid power, and community development, but without protection, those efforts are undermined. TOKIGEZA is a call to action for every Ugandan to protect what connects us.”
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