THE Government has urged the Zambia Law Development Commission (ZLDC) to speed up the review process of finalizing the draft Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Bill 2023.
Ministry of Technology and Science Permanent Secretary Brilliant Habeenzu said the development of the Bill has been a subject of concern and litigation, highlighting the importance and sensitivity of the issue hence the need to expedite the process.
He said it was imperative that key stakeholders to the review process approach the task with utmost dedication and a collective commitment to address the challenges the country was facing in the digital realm.
“Let me thank the Zambia Law Development Commission for leading the process and wish to urge you to move very fast to reviewing the process to finalizing the draft Cyber Bill to ensure we create an enabling environment for the growth of the digital economy,” he said.
Dr Habeenzu was speaking during the opening of the final National Consultative meeting for the draft Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Bill 2023 held at Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka.
The commission has, spearheaded the review process of the draft Bill that has been conducted in the nine provinces in Zambia with Lusaka being the last province. |
He said with the increasing digitization of personal, financial and organizational data, cyber-attacks pose a significant threat to the confidentiality of sensitive information.
“Today, business just like the government heavily rely on computer systems and networks to operate efficiently. A cyber-attack can disrupt operations leading to downturn, loss of productivity and financial losses.
“It is therefore crucial for us to protect our national assets as well as individual’s personal information by drafting an enabling policy and legal framework,” he said.
The presence of a multisectoral technical team of experts who have worked tirelessly to develop the draft Bill was testament to the significance attached to the subject matter.
Dr Habeenzu further said the Government recognizes that the landscape of cyber security and cybercrimes was constantly evolving, and it was crucial that the legislation remains robust and adaptable.
He said the Government aims to develop a Bill that truly reflects the views and concerns of all stakeholders in the country.