STAKEHOLDERS ENGAGE ON CYBERSECURITY BILL 2026

Officially opening the workshop, Acting Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Communications, Science, Technology and Innovation Mrs ‘Maleloko Nkhahle said the consultation forms part of Government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen Lesotho’s national cybersecurity framework. She noted that the Cybersecurity Bill 2026 is the culmination of a process that began with the Computer Crime and Cybersecurity Bill 2024, which initially sought to address cybersecurity governance and cybercrime under a single legislative framework.

Following consultations and policy considerations, Cabinet approved the separation of the 2024 Bill into two pieces of legislation — the Cybercrime Bill 2026 and the Cybersecurity Bill 2026 — allowing each framework to address its respective regulatory objectives in a more comprehensive and focused manner.

Nkhahle said Government has already taken steps to advance the national cybersecurity agenda ahead of the enactment of the legislation. Among these is the designation of the Lesotho Communications Authority as the interim Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT).

She further highlighted the launch of the National Cybersecurity Forum in July 2026, bringing together representatives from the public and private sectors, academia, civil society and the technical community. The Forum serves as a multi-stakeholder platform for dialogue, information sharing, capacity development and the promotion of a cybersecurity culture across Lesotho.

The Acting Principal Secretary said the Bill also provides for the recognition, registration and oversight of cybersecurity professionals, in response to the increasing complexity of cyber threats and growing reliance on qualified practitioners. The framework is intended to promote professional standards, accountability and ethical conduct, while strengthening public confidence in cybersecurity services.

The Bill further proposes a two-tier regulatory framework, with obligations differentiated according to the nature, size, criticality and risk profile of regulated entities. According to Ms Nkhahle, this approach seeks to promote proportional regulation, avoid unnecessary compliance burdens and ensure efficient allocation of regulatory resources while maintaining appropriate levels of cybersecurity protection across sectors.

The workshop marks the second stakeholder engagement process on the Cybersecurity Bill 2026, following the circulation of the draft Bill in August 2026 for stakeholder review.

The two-day consultation is expected to provide stakeholders with an opportunity to examine the proposed legislation, provide inputs and contribute to strengthening the Bill before it proceeds through the next stages of the legislative process.