The National Information Technology Authority–Uganda (NITA-U), in partnership with the Personal Data Protection Office (PDPO), held a high-level engagement for over 20 professional communicators.
The engagement is part of the ongoing Beera Ku Guard campaign, a nationwide effort designed to build a culture of digital safety, responsible data handling, data privacy and public awareness on cyber threats.
According to the 2024 Uganda Police Force Annual Crime Report, cybercrime has surged by 93.5%, with cases jumping from 245 to 474 in a single year. These digital offenses resulted in a staggering financial loss of shs 72.1 billion, with only 67 cases prosecuted and 21 convictions secured by year-end.
Today’s first session by Gilbert Ssettuma, Compliance and Investigations, PDPO was on Data Protection and Privacy while the second session on cyber security was by Jerome Okot, Cybersecurity Expert, Milima security.
Gilbert Ssettuuma emphasized the critical role communicators play in shaping public perceptions and influencing national behaviour around digital safety.
Ssettuuma noted that as the country becomes more connected, communicators must be empowered with the right knowledge, language, and tools to translate complex cyber and data protection concepts into clear, relatable messages for the public.
Okot highlighted the increasing sophistication of cyber threats and underscored the need for communicators to be vigilant and embrace safe digital habits across communities, institutions, and online spaces.
“The Data Protection and Privacy Act was put in place quite obviously to protect the privacy of the individual and their personal information, but also to regulate the collection and processing of personal information” -- Gilbert Ssettuuma
The Beera Ku Guard Communicators’ Engagement reaffirms NITA-U and PDPO’s commitment to building a united communication front that supports a safer, more resilient digital Uganda
Beera Ku Guard is a nationwide digital safety campaign (2025–2026) led by NITA-U in partnership with the Personal Data Protection Office (PDPO).
It aims to empower Ugandans with practical knowledge and habits to stay safe in the digital world covering cybersecurity, data protection, and privacy.
This campaign builds on earlier initiatives like Stay Safe Online, expanding the focus beyond online behaviour to include offline data handling, institutional readiness, and digital trust.