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The Zambian government has proposed in the new Cyber Crimes Bill and Cyber Security Bill that the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security will oversee cyber crimes, while the Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA) will focus on cyber security.
Technology and Science Minister, Felix Mutati, stated that the current arrangement, where ZICTA handled both cyber crimes and cyber security, was inadequate since the regulator lacked the authority to enforce laws and apprehend offenders.
During a meeting with Swedish Ambassador to Zambia Johan Hallenborg in Lusaka, Mutati explained that the separation of responsibilities aimed to enhance efficiency.
He noted that the existing legislation placed ZICTA in a conflicting position, where it must educate the public on cyber crimes while also enforcing the law.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security has the legal mandate to enforce the law and arrest wrongdoers,” Mutati said.
He announced that the government planned to present the Cyber Crimes Bill and Cyber Security Bill to Parliament during the current session.
Ambassador Hallenborg stated Sweden’s commitment to collaborating with Zambia on the Double Digital Compact, which aimed to advance international agendas.
“Sweden wants to work with Zambia on this front and will also support the repeal of the Cyber Crimes and Cyber Security Act,” she stated.
Additionally, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) expressed interest in partnering with various Zambian institutions in research and development.
SIDA Research Advisor, Dr Markus Moll, confirmed the agency’s readiness to collaborate with the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) to promote development through research initiatives.
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