Cybercrimes Bill not about Waziri Chacha, Sabina Chege says

Nominated MP Godfrey Osotsi says the Cybercrimes Bill 2017 set to be debated in Parliament is not a response to the alleged harassment of MPs.

Osotsi, who sits on the Communication, Information and Innovations Departmental Committee, said Wednesday preparations for the bill had been going on longer than reports of such issues as nude photos being sent to MPs.

He added the Waziri Chacha affair was trivial and not the basis of the Cybercrimes Bill that has gained impetus in recent days.

Chacha was arrested for allegedly extorting female MPs under threat of leaking photos and videos of him and them in compromising situations.

"Something has to be done. And that something is what we are now discussing; having in place a legal mechanism to deal with cybercrime. It is not as a result of the MPs' incident because it is a small thing," Osotsi said in an interview with Standard Digital.

Chacha was charged on Monday with six counts of conspiracy to defraud and impersonation.

Osotsi, while detailing elements of the Cybercrime bill, added that with the increase of mobile phone and internet penetration, the country was at risk of escalated cyber infiltration.

He gave the example of  Sh350 billion in cybercrime losses in Africa last year adding that Kenya lost the second highest amount of Sh21.2 billion behind Nigeria which already has cybercrime laws in place.

"Kenya is four times smaller than Nigeria yet our cybercrime losses are almost as much as those of Nigeria. This shows why we need the law in place," Osotsi said.

The nominated MP further said that the bill if enacted into law, will protect critical instalments such as KRA's networks and the banking sector. He said these are among the most vulnerable in the absence of a law to protect them.