Africa and the Internet: a 21st century human rights issue?

[Commentary] Many in Africa are yet to see the Internet as a basic right. Yet Ben Scott, Sec of State Hillary Clinton’s policy adviser on innovation called the Internet “the first truly 21st Century human rights issue.” We were looking at Internet freedom and before I had asked how this basic right would be realized for many in Africa. Scott said that just like mobile banking (MPesa, Mobile money) is doing tremendously well in Africa, Internet access will continue to be tied to mobile telephone penetration in Africa. He indicated that Africa’s mobile phone penetration has surpassed Europe’s yet it’s still at 40 percent. This makes the Internet and mobile phone market pose both an economic and political opportunity. [Kagumire is a Kampala-based journalist who blogs on East African affairs at Rosebell's Blog]