Friday, March 29, 2024

Government plans to introduce Cyber Police

..to search any computer at anytime and jail up to one year those failing to cooperate

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Speaker of National Assembly Dr. Patrick Matibeni (r) First Speaker of National Assembly Catherine Mugala and Mines Minister Richard Musukwa following the State of the Nation address at Parliament Buildings
Speaker of National Assembly Dr. Patrick Matibeni (r) First Speaker of National Assembly Catherine Mugala and Mines Minister Richard Musukwa following the State of the Nation address at Parliament Buildings

The PF Government has drafted a new law that it hopes will address online behavior and introduce jail terms for those found guilty of misconduct on the internet, a leaked draft Bill has shown.

The Cybersecurity and Cybercrimes Draft Bill, 2017 also allows authorities at any reasonable time, without prior notice, and on the authority of a warrant to enter any premises or access an information system and search any persons.

This is provided for if there are reasonable grounds to believe that the person or institution has possession of an article, document or record that has a bearing on an investigation and take extracts from, or make copies of any book, document or record that is on or in the premises or in the information system and that has a bearing on an investigation.

The Draft Bill also shows that Authorities will demand the production of, and inspect, relevant licences and registration certificates, inspect any facilities on the premises which are linked or associated with the information system, access and inspect the operation of any computer or equipment forming part of an information system.

And a person who refuses to co-operate with or hinders a cyber-inspector from conducting a lawful search or seizure commits an offence and is liable, upon conviction, to a fine not exceeding 100, 000 penalty units or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year, or to both.

The draft which is expected to be tabled before Parliament for deliberations also indicates that a warrant to enter, search and seize may be issued at any time and shall identify the premises or information system that may be entered and searched and specify which acts may be performed there under by the cyber inspector to whom it is issued.

Authorities will also be allowed to install on the computer or computer system any software program or interconnect any equipment to the computer or computer system, for the purpose of the investigation and access, inspect and check the operation of a computer that the investigating officer has reasonable cause to suspect is or was impacted by a cybersecurity incident.

A Board for the Zambia Cybersecurity Agency will be constituted and will comprise representation from the Zambia Air Force, Zambia Army, Zambia National Service, Zambia Police Service and Zambia Security Intelligence Services.

You can download The Cyber Security and the Cyber Crimes DRAFT Bill 2017

46 COMMENTS

  1. It will not work.

    You can not shut people up to cover your thieving acts.

    This is one rotten government. Specialists in silencing critics.

    • Re-employ Chinese officers you fired.
      Our own from copperbelt will just be watching poohno all day long and leak draft bills.

    • Bring Access to Information Bill -if you want access to private citizens information ,tax payers have a right to access information on how the government is utilising their money and sue government for misappropriation of funds.

    • Prisons and jails in Zambia are very unsanitary places and its a human right abuse to throw people into such conditions.What is government doing to address this as opposed to finding every other way to fill them up with adversaries.

    • Maharaji and Shameless – they have majority in the house they do not need to sell anything to independent MPs or the opposition.

    • Brilliant NEWS

      Onward and Upwards

      LT can I thought we agreed to wait for this article until evening? See my email

      Thanks

      BB2010,2016

    • It’s DUNUNA Reverse to UNIP/Communist Era State sponsored spying on citizens. Instead of enacting laws to catch Politician thieves in FIC Report & Auditor Generals Reports, PF00Lish Regime is shamelessly enacting laws to shut-up anyone who talks about their theft.

      Very soon they’ll be nothing left to steal as Govt is bankrupt. BoZ reserves are almost depleted, no lender is willing to borrow PF Govt any loan. EURO-Bond repayment is just around the corner but there’s nothing being done to prevent Zim-Dollarfication of the Kwacha.

      Even civil servants will soon be going for months without pay due to PF failed economic policies which are all about borrowing, creating over-priced projects so that they can shamelessly steal through kick-backs.

    • Am for me I use Kali Linux embedded with TOR for the Onionland which not even FBI or Scotland Yard Fimo Fimo can manage to trace me.I am very good and that sh!t and can help the Police to catch the likes of Jay Jay the Gay Gay b!tch… Am 101% anonymous…

    • Field Ruwe where are you when we need you? Please save us from this nonsense with your word of reason.

    • Hahaha…here comes North Korea tactics now. Desperation. Vote these clowns out of office. They’re trying to turn Zambia into a full fledged dictatorship. You cannot silence the people forever. You’ll be condemned by all international groups that hate human rights abusers. Freedom of speech is a human right. Last time we checked, Zambia is a democracy and not a totalitarian State. “A government of the people by the people for the people.” Let the people speak.

    • ******* **** – you are a twisted toddler on one hand you are using dark nets so you are not detected BUT on another you are offering services to capture others.

  2. This is ok and welcome for me, as long as borders are clearly marked to differentiate freedom of expression which is supposed to be enjoyed by citizens and and deliberate clampdown of divergent views in the name of cyber police by the ruling elite.

  3. what rubbish is this , u just scared of you own shadows , this is total nonsense , u want to shut up people to expose your criminality . it wont work with this advanced technology . u just want to scare the citizenry from commenting on your criminal activities u do in your corrupt gov of scandals at every hour of the day , u closed the post newspaper which was an independent paper because it was exposing your misdeeds . now u went to silence the people by putting fear into them . u don t even have the equipment and qualified personnel to undertake assignments . what a shameful gov

  4. Thats the problem of having a stupid lawyer as a president. He thinks making laws is everything. He forgets that a law make crime/sin where there was no crime/sin. For this law, if it will pass only Daliso and Tasila Lungu will go to jail for violating this act. If you ask when, the answer is immediately you will be called former president.

  5. Beware PF. These oppressive laws you are planning will come back to bite you.
    Intimidating people and robbing them of freedom because you are afraid of losing power…
    Gaddaffi, Mubutu, Yaya Jemmah, Idi Amini. They all thought their day would never come. But it did, and so will yours. Mark my words

  6. Men make unjust laws to protect their interests and amass ill gotten wealth, at the expense of the people over whom they rule. They so quickly forgot that they were once part of the general population and they will not remain in power forever.

    • They can introduce any bill they want as they have majority in the house and they know Zambians are a docile people plus those who vote are in the fields in rural areas who wouldn’t careless…

  7. This is the problem of having a Ruling Party in govt with a majority in the house of Parliament as they can do whatever they want if its to oppress its people they will do that…my advice to people is just go dark..register your SIM cards abroad for WhatsApp Groups and use dark nets; PF will never have the selfsame will to fight corruption like they do with such issues like cyber that protect them against whistleblowers. This is why we need another Party in there not UPND they are too selfish.

  8. Lungu and his PF will cry for Zambian Watchdog the way CK did. The letter of the Law is blind! Whosoever diggeth the pit for others to fall in shall fall in themselves! Watch the space!

  9. Good thing this govt always just ‘plans’ stuff which they never implement coz of general incompetence and dullness so no worries.

  10. They are free to do whatever they want kaili they ‘ve got all the power but time is ticking. There’s time for everything under the sun

  11. This is welcome.
    People like hiding behind the click of a mouse busy defaming and abusing other people.
    May God bless PF

  12. Any act of parliament or information that might lead to sorting out the people behind the watchdog, I personally would not have a problem with it. Any person who can create falsehoods like watchdog deserves what they are asking for

  13. A free society doesn’t need many laws. To shut up people is the greatest mistake one should not make. The Kaunda days are HERE.

  14. Am for me I use Kali Linux embedded with TOR for the Onionland which not even FBI or Scotland Yard Fimo Fimo can manage to trace me.I am very good and that sh!t and can help the Police to catch the likes of Jay Jay the Gay Gay b!tch… Am 101% Anonymous.

  15. God is an equalizer not so long ago we had the untouchable in the name of CK. Today is running from one radio station to the other .

  16. Am for me I use Kali Linux embedded with TOR for the Onionland which not even FBI or Scotland Yard Fimo Fimo can manage to trace me.I am very good and that sh!t and can help the Police to catch the likes of Jay Jay the Gay Gay b!tch… Am 101% Anonymous.

  17. Arrest all gays online, good move law makers, you are too powerful. one Zambia one nation. Not even D Trump can run away from human rights.

  18. Beautiful! Hazaluza Hagain! HaJayJay and Galu Watcher in Zambia or Galu Watchers Zambia Ltd. Chanda Chimba IV.

  19. Jailed for what? What a bunch of clowns. It’s called freedom of speech. Just ignore these imbeciles. These corrupt thieves need to focus on paying down the debt.

  20. Ba Nyani aba, can’t even pay Teachers, Doctors, &; their own propaganda mercenaries @ Dead N.B..C, & are now raising their micchila proposing another useless wing of Police to drain more resources.
    Surely Jona & Chimpyongo appear to hate those that criticise their blatant brutality & thieving.
    Zambia continues to sink further under the leadership of these clueless visionless thieving brutes.
    Despite docile brain dead Zedians still supporting this Banana republic government, I say to them, IF YOU CAN’T STAND THE HEAT, GET OUT OF THE FOOKIN KITCHEN!!

  21. HH continues to lose and in his head and in the heads of all members of the tribal grouping, “He is popular!”

  22. This is invasion of privacy. Gestapo tactics have never worked and never will. What does the constitution say on personal liberty and privacy.

  23. HaChanda! Greet Pro. Hansoni and Prof. HaNdulo. Have they written a new complaint to FIFA yet on their University letterheads that Cyber sorting Houtu is coming soon?

  24. modern day democracy – pretend to be a democratic country so that you can carry on getting funding but then have laws in place that prohibit citizens to the right of freedom of expression, freedom of gathering, freedom of having meetings, freedom to protest, the list goes on and on

  25. It is called e_government and when i was learning about it those years i when thought Govments will fear it so much that they dig their own graves.

  26. Law is good to deal with the likes of Snowden. Imagine someone leaking Statehouse correspondence or Care for Business Clinic Records. Well, some perverts will say that’s fine. There is clearly a need for a law loaded to the hilt to deal with such.

    Bloggers are still protected by many provisions of the constitution and statutes of freedom of expression if that’s your worry. You will still be able to insult and vilify with anonymity!!

  27. if social media cannot regulate itself by ridding off hate posts and insults, surely it must be regulated. My opinion.

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