African cybersecurity solutions akin to glass house with fancy curtains – Uganda police

What the report says

Uganda Police director of forensic services Andrew Mubiru used a keynote address at the inaugural National Cybersecurity Conference 2026 in Kampala to urge African governments to strengthen digital defences as online services expand. According to The Observer, he said the region has been building digital systems faster than it has been protecting them, leaving public and private networks vulnerable to increasingly sophisticated attacks.

Mubiru argued that cybercrime is now a cross-border security issue, citing an attack on a bank in neighbouring Rwanda in which stolen funds were later moved into Uganda. He did not name the bank or say how much was withdrawn, but said the case showed how investigators often need cooperation from other countries to trace money and suspects. He also warned that threats are not limited to outside hackers, pointing to insider risk, business email compromise, and the possible misuse of artificial intelligence to fake identities and voices.

The police official said reported cyber cases handled by his unit have risen sharply since 2019, while a national assessment by NITA-U found many small and medium-sized enterprises had faced attacks. He added that late reporting and fragmented responses across agencies make investigations harder. Mubiru called for a more unified national approach, broader public awareness, and stronger collaboration among regulators, law enforcement and private companies.

He also said Uganda should complete ratification of the UN Convention against Cybercrime and domesticate the AU Malabo Convention to improve international cooperation and access to forensic tools.