The Parliamentary Committee on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) recently started debate on three crucial bills, two of which could potentially unlock business opportunities for Ugandans and shape the way people conduct business over the internet.

The ICT committee last week started hearing public submissions on the three bills; The Electronic Signatures Bill, 2008, The Computer Misuse Bill, 2008 and The Electronic Transactions Bill, 2008.

Elisha Wasukira, a renowned Telecommunications Engineer and Executive Director of the I-Network group argues that the introduction of the bills marks a vital step in regularising business exercises conducted over the internet - which has proved to be an important tool for modern-day business.

Wasukira says that the internet, invented over two decades ago and rapidly spread across the world, has transformed the way people do business from physical exchange of papers to doing things electronically.

"Many transactions and other exchanges are happening on-line. This trend is growing rapidly because on-line transactions are faster, efficient, cost effective and in most cases more transparent," he adds:
"However our current laws do not adequately govern these on-line activities and exchanges, therefore parties involved in these transactions and exchanges may not be protected by the current laws."

Wasukira notes that the absence of laws governing the growing volumes of online business transactions has diminished opportunities for Ugandans to do business with the rest of the World since the other parties may have no legal protection in business transaction, especially e-commerce.

"Given that so much is done on-line now, including business, we will be left out of International Trade if others refuse to trade with us because we do not have the laws to protect them should something go wrong. These related bills are therefore very significant for our overall development."

Explaining the significance of the individual bills, Wasukira said that the Electronic Signatures Bill is meant to recognise electronic signatures as valid for business and before the law and regulate their use.

"Now since many transactions are happening on-line without physical exchange of documents and materials, it is necessary to have some form of electronic signature that will be valid and recognized in law - hence The Electronic Signatures Bill,"
The Electronic Transactions Bill on the other hand endeavours to legalise and regulate electronic transactions such as purchases carried out over the internet.

The bill is significant because people especially in the developed world have shifted to using electronic means of settling bills such as credit cards instead of using hard cash. With a credit card one can purchase goods and services on-line, and such goods and services are expected to be delivered to the purchaser to conclude the transaction.

Wasukira says: "If an American spoted beautiful crafts being sold on-line from Uganda, they could use their credit card to pay for the crafts without coming to Uganda. Of course they will expect these crafts to be shipped to them in America.

Now if the Ugandan seller does not ship the crafts, with our current laws it may be very difficult for the American to recover his money through the courts of law in Uganda - hence the Electronic Transactions Bill.

Regarding the Computer Misuse bill, Wasukira said, the resultant law could help protect people against criminals who gain access to other people's email addresses for fraudulent activities.

He says the current law does not adequately bring to justice such bad elements even if they are caught.

Hearing of the laws is expected to take a few weeks and changes made before it is tabled in the House for the mandatory 2nd and 3rd readings before voting proceeds. blog comments powered by Disqus

< Prev		Next >