This archive report was first published on 22 November 2019.
On November 22, 2019, President Uhuru Kenyatta approved the Data Protection Act, which aligns with European Union legal standards.
The law imposes restrictions on how personally identifiable data obtained by firms and government entities can be handled.
Speaking at the CIO100 Awards and IT Symposium conference in Naivasha, industry players said the law was a welcome development.
‘This law is good for the country, even though we are having it five years after countries such as South Africa implemented theirs,’ said Robert Nyamu, a partner at EY East Africa.
Mr Nyamu called for the quick drafting of guidelines and regulations to support the implementation of the law.
According to ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru, companies such as Kenya Airways and tourist hotels will have to comply with the law when handling personal data from clients.
