Cyber law has helped stop mischief, govt says

Dodoma. The widely-condemned cyber law introduced last year has helped Tanzania reduce internet crime, the government has claimed.

Opposition MPs last year described Cyber Crimes Act 2015 as a “draconian law” focusing more on defamation and not protection of internet users.

The bill was roundly opposed by the media but the then President Jakaya Kikwete dug in and signed into law. That set the country on a collision path with the donor community and human rights activists.

But in Parliament Tuesday, Works, Transport and Communication deputy minister Edwin Ngonyani told MPs the controversial law had helped reduce cyber-related crime.

“Statistics indicate that between October (last year) and May, this year, only one offence related to pornography and two on distribution of classified government documents were reported…during the same time, no crime was reported on sedition and abuse of internet,” he said.

The deputy minister said there were cyber-related court cases pending, four of which are related to incitement. The other one is on distributing last year’s election results on the internet without endorsement of the National Electoral Commission (NEC).

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