Biking from Uganda to Namibia ahead of FIFAfrica25

This Friday, September 12, 2025, digital security expert and biker, Andrew Gole will set off on a solo motorbike journey, spreading awareness about the role of digital security in society.

This will be the third time that Gole will travel across various countries in the continent in a bid to generate public awareness about the role of digital security in an ever-evolving digital ecosystem. The effort is supported by the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA), Defend Defenders and Access Now.

Gole will commence his trip in Kampala, Uganda and over a round-trip distance of 13,000 kilometres (km) traverse across the continent and into Windhoek, Namibia, where the Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica25) will convene this September 24-26, 2025.

His journey will wind through Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Botswana, culminating in Namibia just in time for the opening of #FIFAfrica25. On his return to Uganda, Gole will also ride through Zambia and Rwanda, making it a total of 10 countries travelled through over the course of the journey.

“I am truly excited to be hitting the road once again as part of the upcoming Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa. On my previous trips, I had the privilege of witnessing firsthand how diverse communities warmly embrace digital security as a key practice that empowers and protects their daily lives online and offline. These communities are often those left on the margins of mainstream efforts to enhance digital security, yet their eagerness to adopt these measures have been inspiring. I look forward to engaging with new communities on this trip and to continuing this important work and deepening these connections as we move forward together,” said Gole.

Gole notes that travelling on his motorbike allowed him the mobility to connect directly with grassroots organisations. His “Digital Security on Wheels” initiative started in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic to address urgent digital security concerns beyond urban centres in Uganda and grew into a regional effort across East and Southern Africa through the Forum.

In September 2022, ahead of the Forum on Internet Freedom, which that year was held in Lusaka, Zambia and also served as the return to in-person meetings following a two-year hiatus due to Covid-19, Gole pioneered the #RoadToFiFAfrica Digital Security campaign. Gole embarked on this ambitious solo motorbike journey, traversing approximately 3,300 kilometres.

In 2023, ahead of the Tanzania edition of the Forum, Gole led a major expedition that involved a team travelling over 3,624 kilometres from Uganda through Kenya to Tanzania (and into the Indian Ocean island of Zanzibar via ferry). Gole was once again on his motorbike, supported by a team of digital rights experts from the Defenders Protection Initiative (DPI) in a passenger van.

In all instances, Gole’s efforts culminated in the Digital Security Hub that has become a staple at FIFAfrica and serves as a one-stop-shop for attendees online and offline to secure their devices while also attaining practical skills and information on how to navigate online spaces safely.

The Digital Security Hub convened by CIPESA has featured experts from across the world and this year will include experts from Africa Interactive Media, Base Iota, Co-creation HUB, Defenders Protection Initiative (DPI), Digital Society Africa, and Greenhost/Frontline Defenders.