Government is developing the Computer and Cyber-crime bill 2016 in order to end cyber security and child on-line protection. The bill will provide a legislative framework that will seal loopholes used by cyber fraudster to perpetrate offences in the country.
The Bill will also witness arrests and prosecution of offenders as well promote sensitization programmes on cyber security among law enforcers, prosecutors and judicial officers to enable them deal with cyber security effectively.
The Computer and Cyber Crimes Bill 2016 was mooted due to the need to tame abuse of web based systems and reduce or eliminate cyber crime arising from increased use of new technology. The bill, which has input of experts from Europe, Inter-Agency Committee for Formulation on Cyber-crime, the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime and the Council of Europe experts will lend heavily from international standards and global scholars. This will aid Kenya meet international best practices and standards.
According to the Ministry of ICT, Kenya alone recorded more than KES2.9 trillion mobile money transactions in 2015 alone. This represents 18.7 per cent growth compared to the previous year. Also, the ICT sector growth stood at 7.3 per cent last year with 23.9 internet users during the period representing 54 per cent penetration in the country.
This was announced by the ICT Cabinet Secretary, Mr. Joe Mucheru while unveiling the Serianu 2016 Cyber Security in a Nairobi hotel. Mucheru said that Kenya is strategically positioned to take full advantage of the opportunities offered by internet connectivity to deliver services and business transactions.
He noted that the Government was committed to developing comprehensive and offensive cyber-capabilities to protect citizens in the cyber space against threats and attacks. He said this can be achieved through hardening of ICT infrastructure and services, enhancing ICT security competencies and increasing international collaboration.
Statistics prove that only three per cent of cyber-crimes are successfully prosecuted and that 65 per cent of cyber-attacks are not reported.
