A proposal has emerged calling for the deployment of “digital askaris” in every parish across Uganda to help protect communities from rising cybercrime targeting digital government programmes.
The Director of Cyber Security and Forensics Association of Uganda, Marvin Blessed Kashajja says that as Uganda shifts toward a digital-first economy, rural communities have increasingly become targets of online fraudsters. With billions of shillings being distributed through the Parish Development Model (PDM), cybercriminals are exploiting digital platforms to steal from unsuspecting beneficiaries.
According to Kashajja, the modern criminal no longer needs to physically enter a home to steal. Instead, fraudsters trick victims into revealing sensitive information such as personal identification numbers (PINs) and passwords used to access digital financial services.
He proposes the introduction of parish-based cyber defence representatives, referred to as “digital askaris,” who would help communities identify scams and safeguard their digital transactions.
These officers would also educate farmers, cooperative leaders and programme beneficiaries about online safety and help ensure that devices used to access government funds are secure from malware or viruses that could compromise data.
The proposal draws inspiration from community structures such as Village Health Teams, which monitor the health of households. Similarly, digital askaris would monitor the “digital health” of devices and systems used by citizens to access government services.
Kashajja argues that protecting digital infrastructure at the grassroots level is essential to safeguarding public funds and maintaining trust in government programmes.
