Rwanda’s lower house, Chamber of Deputies, on Thursday passed a cybercrime law aimed at helping the government and the private sector combat online crime.
The upper house, Senate, had approved the house earlier before sending it to the lower house.
The bill will now be forwarded to President Paul Kagame for approval before becoming law.
According to the country’s Ministry of Information Communication Technology (ICT), the proposed law seeks to safeguard private and government information and infrastructure against online crimes and cyber-attacks.
“We’re currently witnessing an unprecedented global cyber-attack. Attacks that are threatening our economy and our national security,” Xinhua quotes Agnes Mukazibera, president of the Rwandan parliament standing committee on education, technology, culture and youth, after the voting.
The law will allow the government’s security agencies to investigate any threats and prosecute cybercrimes in private and public institutions, as well as defend the country from any cyber-attacks, she said.
In 2016, Rwanda thwarted more than 1,000 cyber-attacks daily before they could affect targeted individuals, companies and institutions, according to the National Bank of Rwanda.
In the same year, Rwanda launched a US$ 3 million cyber security system, aimed at protecting public and private institutions against online crimes.
