GOVERNMENT PROPOSES HOME AFFAIRS TO ENFORCE CYBER CRIMES WHILE ZICTA TO HANDLE CYBER SECURITY
Written by Mafken FM Newsroom on 18 September 2024
Government has proposed in the new Cyber Crimes Bill and Cyber Security Bill that the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security will take charge of cyber crimes while the Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA) will be in charge of cyber security.
Technology and Science Minister Hon. Felix Mutati says the current scenario where ZICTA is handling both cyber crimes and cyber security is not enough because the regulator cannot enforce the law and arrest culprits.
Mr. Mutati says in the new laws to repeal the Cyber Crimes and Cyber Security Act, government has resolved that the regulator ZICTA will concentrate on cyber security.
Speaking when Swedish Ambassador to Zambia Johan Hallenborg paid a courtesy call on him in Lusaka this morning, Mr. Mutati said government has decided to separate the law into two in order to promote efficiency.
He said the current legislation puts ZICTA in an awkward situation where it is sensitising on cyber crimes and also conducting enforcement.
Mr. Mutati says the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security has the legal mandate to enforce the law and arrest wrongdoers.
The Minister says government will table the Cyber Crimes Bill and the Cyber Security Bills before Parliament in the current session.
And Swedish Ambassador to Zambia Johan Hallenborg says the collaboration between Zambia and Sweden on the Double Digital Compact is helping drive the agenda at the international level.
Mr. Hallenborg says Sweden wants to work with Zambia on this front and will also collaborate on the repealing of the Cyber Crimes and Cyber Security Act.
Meanwhile, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) wants to collaborate with a number of Zambian institutions in research and development.
SIDA Research Advisor Dr. Markus Moll said his institution is ready to work with the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) to further research which can promote development.
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