Act 7

Electronic Signatures Act

PART III—SECURE DIGITAL SIGNATURES

2011

13. Secure digital signatures.
When a portion of an electronic record is signed with a digital
signature the digital signature shall be treated as a secure electronic
signature in respect of that portion of the record, if—
(a) the digital signature was created during the operational
period of a valid certificate and is verified by reference to a
public key listed in the certificate; and
(b) the certificate is considered trustworthy, in that it is an
accurate binding of a public key to a person’s identity
because—
(i)

the certificate was issued by a certification service
provider operating in compliance with regulations
made under this Act;

(ii) the certificate was issued by a certification service
provider outside Uganda recognised for the purpose
by the Controller pursuant to regulations made under
this Act;
(iii) the certificate was issued by a department or ministry
of the Government, an organ of state of statutory
corporation approved by the minister to act as a
certification service provider on such conditions as the
regulations may specify; or

(iv) the parties have expressly agreed between themselves to
use digital signatures as a security procedure and the
digital signature was properly verified by reference to the
sender’s public key.

14. Satisfaction of signature requirements.
(1) Where a rule of law requires a signature or provides for
certain consequences in the absence of a signature, that rule shall be
satisfied by a digital signature where—
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