This archive report was first published on 10 November 2019.
On Friday, President Uhuru Kenyatta assented to the Data Protection Bill, 2019, officially making it law.
As of now, individuals who misuse or abuse other people's personal data risk facing a maximum of 10 years in prison or a fine of Sh3 million, or both.
The new law grants Kenyans the right to know how their information is handled and to request the deletion or correction of incorrect data.
The Data Protection Bill, 2019, aims to regulate the processing of personal data and information, adhering to the principles of data protection similar to those provided by the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR).
The law also establishes the office of a Data Protection Commissioner, a position that did not previously exist.
The Data Protection Bill, 2019, applies to natural or legal persons, agencies, and public authorities, including local and global organisations that process data belonging to Kenyans.
Organisations such as Safaricom have previously criticised the government for failing to provide a reliable data protection framework for shaping ICT policies in the country.
President Kenyatta's signing of the Data Protection Bill, 2019, marks a significant step forward in the country's pursuit of a legal system that prevents data abuses.
