The region has not suffered major cyber crime scares although a major bank in Kenya had been hacked into while websites of the Ugandan Army and the Kenya’s agency The National Security Intelligence Service were also hacked into.
The connection of the region to the cyber optic cable that started mid-last year is however expected to increase internet traffic and by virtual of facilitating global connection exposes the region to global cyber criminals.
United Nations agency for trade UNCTAD that is helping the region to adopt harmonized cyber crimes laws said they are important in ensuring growth of e-commerce and its benefits to the citizens.
"Governments they should provide an enabling policy, legal, and regulatory environment that encourages the growth of e-commerce and e-governance," UNCTAD Secretary-General Supachai Panitchpakdi.
UNCTAD said a study on cyber law harmonization in Africa is under way while studies have already been prepared for South America and Central America.
Sarah Kagoda-Batuwa of the East African Community said earlier that cybercrimes laws are also necessary to ensure that the e- governance plans by the trade bloc are successful.
East Africa is implementing e-governance strategy to offer a range of services to its citizens including; customs and immigration, e-parliament, e-health, e-banking, e-procurement, e- tourism and meteorological and tidal information.
The framework for cyber laws within East African Community in May this year.
The East African Community Task Force on Cyberlaws said in a press statement on Monday that a three-day meeting in Rwandan capital Kigali concluded with commitment to implementing the framework.
"Kigali meeting marked the second phase during which EAC officials will consider legal issues such as intellectual property rights along with such matters as competition, e-taxation, and information security," said the statement.
It said e-government and e-commerce strategies need strong legislative backing on electronic transactions, electronic signatures and authentication, data protection and privacy, consumer protection, and prevention of computer crime.
The Framework addresses those issues and provides guidelines for the enactment and enforcement of harmonized cyberlaws.
The creation of an enabling legal and regulatory environment was identified in the e-Government Programme initiated by the EAC secretariat in 2005 as being critical to effective e-government and e-commerce strategies.
Apart from the Republic of Burundi, which is currently drafting its cyberlaws in conformity with the agreed Framework, other partner States have already made significant advances.
Kenya adopted in 2009 a law addressing e-transactions, e- signatures, consumer protection, and computer crime.
In Rwanda, a draft information and communication technology bill was prepared in 2009 covering the issues of e-signatures, consumer protection, privacy, and content regulation.
Last February, the country prepared a draft criminal law on cybercrime.
Rwandan laws on digital copyright and e-contracting were passed earlier this year.
In Tanzania, the Central Bank, the Tanzanian Revenue Authority, and the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority are setting up an e-procurement system for the Tanzanian Public Service.
The Government of Uganda in 2009 passed bills on electronic transactions, electronic signatures, and computer misuse.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Steve Kimani
Quelle/Source: Coastweek, 25.06.2010
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