MPs propose national government to keep data records

Talks between National Assembly and Senate Information Communication and Technology Committees shave collapsed as the two houses fail to agree on who should be the custodian of Kenyans’ data once collected.

While Members of Parliament proposes that national government keeps the data, senators want counties to keep the data under the proposed Data Protection Bill 2019.

The meeting between ICT committees of the two houses of parliament to discuss the Data Protection Bill 2019 ended in stalemate after the two committees differed on the principle data custodian.

The national assembly committee argues that a centrally placed data under the national government will ensure information on Kenyans are safe and secure in one place.

On the other hand the senate wants the proposed data protection bill to allow county governments create their own data banks to ensure data collected by the county governments can direct development policies.

The Data Protection Bill among other things proposes protection of personal data collected, used or stored by both private and public entities.

The bill similarly recognizes that data protection forms part and parcel of the expectation of the right to privacy.

The Bill further provides for the legal framework for protection of a person’s privacy in instances where personal information is collected, stored, used or processed by another person.

Processing of special personal information, information relating to religious beliefs, race, health, trade union activities, data relating to a minor and political persuasions, is provided for under Part III of the Bill where  the criteria for processing and who may process such information is given.

The Data Protection Bill 2019 was proposed by both the National Assembly and the Senate with the frequent statements due to the duplication of the bill has seen minimal debate on the bill further exposing Kenyans data to abuse.