Nairobi, October 2 2025: Amnesty International Kenya today releases two critical resources designed to advance privacy rights and strengthen accountability in Kenya’s digital landscape: The 5 Years On: Citizens’ Perspectives on Kenya’s Data Protection Act Implementation study, and the Data Protection Guidelines for Civil Society Organisations, in partnership with the Data Privacy and Governance Society of Kenya(DPGSK).
The perception study evaluates citizens’ awareness and experiences with Kenya’s Data Protection Act (DPA) five years after its enactment. Although the Act provides a robust legal framework, low to moderate public awareness of digital rights, exclusion of marginalized groups, a weak regional presence of the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC), and inconsistent law enforcement prevent its full effectiveness. The study finds that most Kenyans, predominantly rural and marginalized communities, are unaware of their data subject rights or unable to exercise them, making them targets for data breaches and misuse.
To complement these findings, Amnesty International Kenya has developed Data Protection Guidelines for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in partnership with the Data Privacy and Governance Society of Kenya. The guidelines are concrete tools for CSOs to comply with the DPA while preserving the dignity and safety of those they serve. These best practices on privacy programs, data lifecycle management, impact assessments, and engagement with the ODPC position CSOs as data processors but also stewards of digital rights and public trust.
Together, the study and the guidelines demonstrate that data protection is both a human rights obligation and an ethical imperative.
As Kenya deepens its digital transformation, protecting citizens’ personal data is crucial to maintaining democracy, fostering trust, and ensuring accountability.
Amnesty International Kenya calls for action:
- Public awareness and education: Expand civic and digital literacy campaigns using local media, schools, community barazas, and online platforms to ensure citizens understand their rights.
- Inclusion of marginalized groups: Proactively engage women, youth, persons with disabilities, and rural communities in data protection processes.
- Strengthening the ODPC: Increase funding, staffing, and regional presence to enable effective enforcement and accessibility.
- Accountability for breaches: Enforce stronger penalties for state and corporate actors who misuse data, especially big telecoms and monopolies.
- CSO leadership: Civil society need to adopt the new guidelines to model rights-based data governance and set the tone for ethical data use in Kenya.
These two resources, one reflecting the lived experiences of citizens, the other offering practical tools for compliance, send a clear message: protecting personal data is about protecting dignity, trust, and democracy in Kenya.
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For more information and interviews, contact Mathias T. Kinyoda
Mobile: +254723424802 | Email: [email protected]