Kenya has passed a new data protection bill into law. The law is in line with European Union Legal Standards and will bolster investment in the Information Communication sector. It stipulates that companies found red herring the new rule will get a fine of $29,283 or face two-year jail terms.
The rise of technology in Kenya has increased sporadically in recent times. The country is one of the African countries that fully embraces technology, attracts foreign investment in the technology sector and launches various tech-driven projects. The influx amidst other reasons spurred new privacy laws.
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However, beyond other laws introduced in the African continent that infringe the right of the social media, Kenya’s law will promote investment in the ICT sector and safeguard the sector from an information breach.
The new data protection law provides specific guidelines on ways to obtain data from private-owned firms and government entities. It also provides measures to curb data infringement.
The Minister of Information, Technology and Communication, Kenya, Mr Joe Mucheru noted that companies like Kenya Airways, Tourist Hotels, Safaricom amidst others must comply with the new law when handling personal data provided by users utilizing their services.
The Vice President Amazon Web Service Kenya, Teresa Carlson, applauds the law. She believes that the law will make way for investment in the country and prompt the launch of Amazon Web Services Cloud business.
The promulgation of the Data Privacy law is a great move for Kenya. We hope they will be able to fully implement the law and safeguard Data breach in the country.
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