Uganda’s Digital Lifeline is Under Attack!, Warns UCC Boss Nyombi Thembo

The Executive Director of the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), Nyombi Thembo, has issued a passionate public appeal condemning the surge in telecom infrastructure vandalism, warning that such acts amount to economic sabotage and directly harm communities across the country.

Speaking in a televised statement, Thembo said that over 1,000 cases of telecom vandalism were recorded in Uganda between 2022 and 2024, including the theft of communication cables, batteries, fuel siphoning, and deliberate disabling of transmission towers.

“These are not isolated incidents,” he said. “They are deliberate attacks on our collective progress as a country. Every act of vandalism can potentially cut off entire communities, sometimes for several days, leaving families and businesses disconnected.”

Telecom infrastructure, he emphasised, is a lifeline for millions of Ugandans — powering the economy, enabling digital education and healthcare services, and supporting national emergency response systems. Disrupting that lifeline, he warned, doesn’t just harm service providers but cripples entire communities, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

“Tokigeza” Campaign: A Collective Call to Action

The UCC has now thrown its weight behind the “Tokigeza” anti-vandalism campaign, which aims to raise public awareness about the impact of telecom sabotage and encourage citizen vigilance.

“We urge you to join this noble cause. If you see something, say something. Report any act of telecom vandalism immediately,” Thembo appealed.

He noted that protecting telecom installations is not just a corporate issue but a patriotic duty, stressing that damage to telecom infrastructure disrupts lives in very personal and tangible ways.

“Stealing from a tower isn’t just theft from a company. It is an assault on your wife, your child, your community, and your nation,” Thembo said, in a direct and emotional message to would-be vandals and the general public.

The UCC director underscored that telecom infrastructure is essential to achieving Uganda’s Vision 2040 and other national development goals, including digital inclusion, e-governance, and access to online education and health care. He called on local leaders, police, telecom companies, and citizens to form a united front against this wave of destruction.

The Commission is working closely with telecom operators and security agencies to tighten surveillance, improve community outreach, and explore harsher penalties for offenders under Uganda’s communications laws.

“Telecom towers and cables may not seem personal — but when they go down, it’s your phone that stops working, your child who can’t access online classes, your parent who can’t call for medical help,” Thembo concluded. “This is a fight for our collective future. Touchigeza. Don’t do it.”

The UCC is urging the public to report any suspicious activity around telecom infrastructure to local police or via the Commission’s toll-free hotline.

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