Ugandan legislator, Hon. Naome Kabasharira has urged African countries to treat cybersecurity as a national security priority, warning delegates at the 55th CPA Africa Region Conference in Malawi that the continent's rapid digital growth is outpacing its cyber defences. Hon. Kabasharira (NRM, Rushenyi), who made a presentation on "Cybersecurity Threats, Digital Misinformation, and the Role of African Parliaments in Protecting the Digital Future," argued that Africa's growth in mobile money and artificial intelligence is creating new vulnerabilities that state-sponsored actors and organized crime networks are increasingly seeking to exploit. “I urge African governments to strengthen regional and international cooperation because cybercriminals operate without regard for national borders; we need timely information-sharing and coordinated law-enforcement action amongst ourselves to build a collective defense against digital threats,” she said on Friday, 14 August 2026. The lawmaker said Africa's cybersecurity preparedness remains uneven, urging parliaments to modernise laws to combat emerging threats such as AI-enabled cybercrime, ransomware and identity theft. Kabasharira called for greater investment in infrastructure, including funding for Computer Emergency Response Teams, digital forensic laboratories and cybersecurity workforce development, alongside stronger data protection frameworks that give citizens rights over their personal information and hold organizations accountable for data breaches. She further addressed the growing danger posed by AI-generated content and deepfakes, which she said are eroding trust in government, the media and democratic institutions. Hon. Kabasharira called on African parliaments to enact fair laws governing new technologies that protect citizens from false information without discouraging innovation. "The result can be a broader erosion of trust in public institutions, the media, and democratic processes," Kabasharira said, adding that an effective response must combine proportionate regulation with sustained digital literacy and public awareness campaigns. Concluding her remarks, Kabasharira told fellow delegates that Africa's prosperity is closely tied to the security of its digital ecosystems. She urged parliamentarians to position themselves as central actors in building cyber resilience across the continent, ensuring that technology continues to serve as a driver of prosperity, inclusion and democratic progress rather than becoming a tool of exploitation.Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.Media filesDownload logo
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