Uganda has launched a nationwide campaign, “Beera Ku Guard,” to boost cybersecurity, data protection, and privacy awareness.
Initiated by the National Information Technology Authority–Uganda (NITA-U) in partnership with the Personal Data Protection Office (PDPO), the campaign seeks to address growing risks in the country’s rapidly expanding digital space, where over 13 million Ugandans are now online.
Despite increasing internet usage, only 13.6% of the population understands data protection and privacy, and fewer than 28.4% of government agencies have designated data protection officers.
Unveiled at Serena Hotel in Kampala, the campaign will run for six months across mass media, digital platforms, and institutional channels.
“We cannot talk about a modern, digital Uganda without putting safety and trust at the center. ‘Beera Ku Guard’ is a call to action for every citizen, public servant, and private actor to safeguard personal data and use digital platforms responsibly,” said Arnold Mangeni, Director at Information Security, NITA-U, during the campaign launch.
It forms part of Uganda’s Digital Transformation Roadmap 2023/24–2027/28 and aims to engage over 100,000 citizens and register 1,000 data-controlling organizations by 2026.
Officials emphasized that building public trust, responsible data sharing, and personal accountability are essential to Uganda’s secure and inclusive digital future.
Uganda Cybercrime Woes
In 2024, a cyberattack struck the Bank of Uganda, which resulted in the theft of 62 billion Ugandan shillings (Ush). After investigations, nine officials from the Ministry of Finance, including senior treasury staff, were arrested in February 2025.
Data from the Uganda Police annual crime report suggests that Ush 1.5 billion were lost as a result of cybercrime in 2023, according to a local media. Even worse, a whopping USh 19.2 billion was lost in 2022, with only 16.7 million recovered.
“Beera Ku Guard” highlights the government’s commitment to creating a secure, inclusive, and accountable digital ecosystem, emphasizing responsible online behavior as crucial to national progress.
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