Stakeholders in the ICT sector met in Kigali on Friday to discuss the draft policy on data protection in order to identify which cyber security crimes pose the greatest threat and what legislation is required to tackle them. The current draft policy on data protection emphasizes issues like e-transactions and e-commerce.

Emmanuel Dusenge, a senior engineer in charge of ICT infrastructure development in the ministry of youth and ICT, explained that while cyber crimes are still limited in Rwanda, the government should be vigilant and rather prevent than cure.

"This is why we are drafting this data protection policy, to be able to punish possible crimes," he said, adding that all potential cyber crimes are being looked at.

According to the draft, the main objective is to protect the fundamental rights of people and freedom of natural persons, and in particular their right to privacy with respect to processing data.

In its current form, the law will penalize unauthorized access to computer systems and data, unauthorized modification of computer data, unlawful possession of computer systems, devices and data, and unauthorized disclosure of password among others.

"The data protection policy pertains to protection of personal data, whether in the public or private sector, which, because of the manner in which they are processed, or because of their nature or the context in which they are used, pose a danger to privacy and individual liberties", the draft policy reads.

Exceptions can be made, however, in the interest of national sovereignty, national security and public policy, but they should be as few as possible and made known to the public

The policy also indicates that Rwanda shall refrain from restricting transborder flows of personal data between itself and another country except where the latter does not yet substantially observe compatible protection of personal data in its domestic privacy legislation.

Being an ICT driven country, Rwanda is sensitive to cyber crimes. This data protection policy draft comes alongside with the cyber security awareness campaign that is being conducted in the government institutions.