Hima rolls out anti-counterfeit program as fake cement floods market

KAMPALA - Hima Cement has launched a digital loyalty programme which masons can use to verify each bag through a unique code to detect counterfeit cement.

The six-month loyalty programme targets masons, positioning them on the frontline against fakes. It was launched on December 10, 2025, during Hima Cement’s end-of-year dinner at Millennium Park in Lugogo.

Joan Kitawona, Hima’s Brand and Communications Manager, reported that Uganda’s construction sector continues to battle a growing wave of counterfeit cement, products mixed with dust, ash or repackaged in fake branded bags, costing builders money, weakening structures and eroding trust in manufacturers.

The promotion, dubbed Funamu Ne Hima, marks the company’s shift from dealer incentives to end-user engagement. More importantly, it ties each bag of cement to a unique digital code, creating a traceable footprint that the company says will make counterfeiting harder.

How the program works

The new loyalty programme gives masons cash for every genuine bag they open. Each Hima Multipurpose bag contains a one-time code that users submit via *204# or the Hima Loyalty App.

Rewards are paid monthly for anyone who submits at least ten codes.

Joan Kitawona, Hima’s Brand and Communications Manager, said the company has already dealt with several counterfeit cases on the market this year, underscoring the urgency of tighter product verification. (Courtesy Photos)

Joan Kitawona, Hima’s Brand and Communications Manager, said the company has already dealt with several counterfeit cases on the market this year, underscoring the urgency of tighter product verification.

“The programme targets the fundi, the mason who opens the bag. Before, it used to be just for the dealers,” she said. “But today the campaign extends to the masons. Every bag you open has a cash reward. Each code equals cash. The more codes you send, the more money you win.”

She added that the goal is to ensure “the people who interact with the cement every day” also benefit from their work.

A digital defence against fakes

Beyond rewards, Hima positions the system as a verification tool that helps customers confirm authenticity instantly.

Philemon Mubiru, Hima’s Head of Innovation and Marketing, said the programme signals a broader rethink of customer engagement.

“We do not only innovate products; here we are innovating a platform where we interact directly with the users of our products,” he said.

He added that the system mirrors dealer rebates but is customised for “the last person along the value chain, the mason, builder or site engineer.”

On counterfeits, Mubiru said, “The code is unique. It can never be repeated anywhere else. Once you submit it successfully, it means the cement you are using has been produced out of the Hima factory.”

He said the company wants buyers to “genuinely feel” Hima products amid reports of cottage factories mixing cement with dust or ash.

Masons during the Hima Cement end-of-year dinner and launch of the loyalty program against counterfeits.

Why is the focus on builders

Hima’s Commercial Director, Israel Tinkasimire, said masons remain the backbone of Uganda’s construction industry, and a critical but often overlooked link in quality control.

“The dams, the bridges, the roads that led you here, the homes you go back to, all those structures are moulded by the hands of the fundis,” he said. “So being part of you from the start means giving back to the people who actually make these structures worth living in.”

Tinkasimire said the initiative aims to strengthen community ties while building long-term brand loyalty.

“If the mason is happy, even you are happy. They deserve it because, honestly, they put in the work.”

For now, the campaign is limited to Multipurpose cement. Performance will determine whether it extends to other brands.

The platform is designed for both feature phones and smartphones. Dialling *204# is free on MTN and Airtel, while smartphone users can track their entries through the app.

“If you do not have internet or you have a feature phone, all you do is dial 204#,” Mubiru said. “No one is going to charge you a penny.”

Adverts will run in multiple local languages to ensure nationwide access.

While reward programmes for dealers are common in the cement industry, directly targeting builders remains rare. Hima says the aim is to elevate the mason from a product user to a quality assurance partner while curbing fake products on the market.

A market battling counterfeits

Over the past decade, industry regulators and manufacturers have repeatedly warned about counterfeit cement entering the market.

In 2018, police arrested traders in Wakiso and Mukono for repackaging substandard cement in branded bags. In 2020, the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) seized more than 50 tonnes of fake cement, some falsely labelled as Hima.

While in 2022, Hima dealers in Eastern Uganda reported receiving customer complaints about weak cement, which they later discovered had been repackaged in used Hima bags.

These incidents, among others, have pushed manufacturers to rethink surveillance at the last point of use, the construction site.