Kenya: The Data Protection Bill, 2019 July 2019 Kenya: The Data Protection Bill, 2019 July 2019 Executive Summary The Data Protection Bill currently bein con!i"ered by the #ational $!!embly of Kenya need! !igni&cant revi!ion! to en!ure that it! 'rotection! are in harmony (ith those of %un"amental right! of %reedom of ex'res!ion an" the right to in%ormation as recogni)ed by the *on!titution of Kenya an" in international law+ The current "raft has only limited 'rovi!ion! on the 'roces!ing of 'er!onal "ata by the media (hich are not ade,uate to 'rotect %reedom of ex'res!ion an" no 'rovi!ion! on en!urin that the la( i! con!i!tent (ith the $cces! to -n%ormation $ct an" the *on!titution+ Recommendations: 1+ $rticle .2 of the Data Protection Bill !houl" be revi!ed to broa"en the /ournali!tic exem'tion to 'roces!in that i! inten"ed to communicatin in%ormation to the 'ublic, i"eas, or opinion! of general interest inclu"in %or /ournali!tic 'ur'oses an" the 'ur'oses of academic, arti!tic or literary ex'res!ion+ 2+ The exem'tion! %or %reedom of ex'res!ion, literature, an" arti!tic 'ur'oses !houl" be !eparated %rom other exem'tion! in $rticle 0+ The Draft 1aw !houl" en!ure that 'rovi!ion! 'rotectin %reedom of ex'res!ion ap'ly to all !ection! of the law, not /u!t relatin to 'rinci'les of 'roces!ing 'er!onal "ata. 2+ The /ournali!tic exem'tion !houl" al!o a''ly to the !ection on tran!bor"er "ata 3o(! to en!ure that material! created %or the 'ur'ose of /ournali!m, inclu"in ra"io an" televi!ion an" other media 'ubli!hed on the internet or other(i!e tran!%erred acros! bor"er! are not restricted+ 4+ The "e&nition of 'er!onal in%ormation in $rticle 2 !houl" be !ynchroni)ed (ith the $cces! to -n%ormation $ct an" !houl" !'eci&cally exem't in%ormation about the 'ublic activities an" %unction! of 'ublic of&cial! an" those exerci!in 'ublic %unction!5 .+ Public regi!ter! an" other in%ormation not of a 'er!onal nature about activities of government inclu"ing 'rocurement, !ervices an" !ub!i"ies, !houl" remain 'ublic. 6+ The Data Protection Bill !houl" !'eci&cally recogni!e the 'ublic interest 'rovi!ion! in the $cces! to -n%ormation $ct hel" by 'ublic bodies an" en!ure that the 'ublic interest i! con!i"ered in any re,uest (hich relates to 'er!onal in%ormation+ ARTICLE 19 EASTERN $87-*$+ ACS Plaza. 2nd floor. Lenana Road – (((+article19.org – +254727 862230 Page 2 of 12 Kenya: The Data Protection Bill, 2019 July 2019 Executive Summary 2 About the Article 19 Transparency Programme ! "# "ntroduction $ ""# Analysis of the &raft 'aw $ $+ 8reedom of Ex'res!ion Problem!++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++. 1+ <edia an" Journali!m++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++. 2+ Tran!bor"er Data 8lo(++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++0 B+ *on3ict! (ith the 7ight of $cces! to -n%ormation++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++9 -nternational law obligation!+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++9 Definition of 'er!onal "ata++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++10 Public 7ecor"! an" Databases++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++11 -=+ *onclu!ion 12 ARTICLE 19 EASTERN $87-*$+ ACS Plaza. 2nd floor. Lenana Road – (((+article19.org – +254727 862230 Page 2 of 12 Kenya: The Data Protection Bill, 2019 July 2019 About the Article 19 Transparency Programme The $7T-*1E 19 Tran!'arency Programme a"vocates %or the "evelopment of 'rogres!ive !tan"ar"! on acces! to in%ormation at the international an" regional level!, an" their im'lementation in "omestic legal !y!tem!+ The Tran!'arency Programme has 'roduced a number of !tan"ar">!ettin 'ublication!, (hich outline international an" com'arative la( an" best 'ractice in areas !uch as national !ecurity an" 'rivacy+ ?n the basi! of these 'ublication! an" $7T-*1E 19@! overall legal ex'erti!e, the Tran!'arency Programme 'ubli!hes a number of legal analy!es, ui"es, an" other material! each year, commentin on legi!lative 'roposal!, as (ell as exi!tin law! that af%ect the ri ht to in%ormation, (hi!tleblowin an" related right!+ Thi! analytical (orA %requently lead! to !ub!tantial im'rovement! in 'ro'osed or exi!tin "omestic legi!lation+ $ll of our material! are available online at htt':BB(((+article19+or B -% you (oul" like to "i!cu!! thi! analy!i! %urther, 'lease contact contact the Kenya ?%&ce at kenya@article19+or or +2.4;2; 062220+ ARTICLE 19 EASTERN $87-*$+ ACS Plaza. 2nd floor. Lenana Road – (((+article19.org – +254727 862230 Page 4 of 12 Kenya: The Data Protection Bill, 2019 July 2019 I. Introduction The right! of 'rivacy an" "ata 'rotection an" %reedom of ex'res!ion an" in%ormation are co-e,ual human right!+ $7T-*1E 19 believes that 'rivacy an" %reedom of ex'res!ion an" in%ormation are com'limentary right! "esigne" to em'o(er the citi)en to 'rotect their ri ht! an" to im'rove the tran!'arency of 'ublic an" 'rivate bo"ies that hol" an" (iel" 'o(er in !ociety+ $7T-*1E 19 !u''ort! the ado'tion of (ell>"esigne" "ata 'rotection act!, (hich 'rotect in"ivi"ual!@ right! to 'er!onal 'rivacy (hile en!uring government tran!'arency an" %reedom of ex'res!ion+ The right of "ata 'rotection has been growin rapi"ly in $%rica over the last %ew year!+ To "ate, t(enty %our countries in $%rica have ado'ted com'rehen!ive law! 'rotectin 'er!onal "ata (hile 14 countries are currently un"ertakin initiatives to a"opt "ata 'rotection legi!lation+ -n 2014, the $%rican Dnion ado'ted the *onvention on *yber Security an" Per!onal Data Protection, (hich !et! !tan"ar"! on 'rotecting 'er!onal "ata+ $%rican countries are al!o increasingly 'artici'atin in initiatives %rom out!i"e the continent, most notably the *ouncil of Europe’! *onvention 100 %or the Protection of -n"ivi"ual! (ith regar" to $utomatic Proces!in of Per!onal Data. The *onvention i! the (orl"@! only legally bin"in treaty on 'rivacy an" "ata 'rotection+ <auritiu!, Senegal an" Tuni!ia are 'arty to *onvention (hile Burkina 8aso, *abo =er"e an" <orocco are in un"ertakin the 'roces! %or acces!ion+ $cces!ion has con!i"erable advantages %or accedin countries an" al!o 'rovi"es !tron as!i!tance to countries (i!hin to obtain an ED a"equacy &n"in un"er the Eeneral Data Protection 7egulation FEDP7G+ -n 201;, the European *ommi!!ion !tated “the *ommi!!ion encourages acces!ion by thir" countries to *ouncil of Europe *onvention 100 an" it! a""itional Protocol”, becau!e thi! (ill “contribute to the convergence towar"! a !et of high "ata 'rotection !tan"ar"!I+ The rules on international tran!%er! un"er the EDP7 !et high requirement! %or thir" countries to be "eemed as of%erin !u%&cient 'rotection of 'er!onal "ata, !o that com'anies an" 'ublic bodies in those countries (ill be able to receive !uch "ata %rom ED entities+ The %ree 3ow of "ata bet(een European an" $%rican countries (ill therefore be con"itional u'on "evelopment of goo" 'ractices in the latter, oriented towar"! the of%erin of an “a"equate levelI of "ata 'rotection that i! a level equivalent to the one !et by EDP7+ -n thi! analy!i!, $7T-*1E 19 !et! out it! concern! about the Data Protection Bill an" it! com'atibility (ith Kenya’! international obligation! un"er international human ri ht! law to 'rotect %reedom of ex'res!ion an" in%ormation+ -t al!o analy!es variou! other as'ect! of the Data Protection Bill an" 'roposes changes to make it !tronger an" more con!i!tent (ith international !tan"ar"!+ ARTICLE 19 EASTERN $87-*$+ ACS Plaza. 2nd floor. Lenana Road – (((+article19.org – +254727 862230 Page . of 12 Kenya: The Data Protection Bill, 2019 July 2019 II. Analysis of the Draft Law A# )reedom of Expression Problems 1. Media and Journalism -nternational law re,uires that %reedom of ex'res!ion concern! nee" to be harmoni)ed (ith 'rivacy 'rotection!+ The key international "ata 'rotection in!trument! inclu"e !'eci&c exem'tion! %or /ournali!tic, aca"emic, arti!tic, literary an" other cultural 'ur'oses (hich allow! %or the rules limitin 'roces!in to be (aived %or those 'ur'oses+ These exem'tion! have been (i"ely a"opted in national "ata 'rotection law!+ $t a minimum, there mu!t be exem'tion! %rom the ap'lication of, an"Bor limitation! embed"e" in, "ata 'rotection la(! %or the 'rotection of /ournali!tic, literary, aca"emic, an" arti!tic 'ur'oses an" %or the "i!charge of any legal obligation to make in%ormation 'ublicly available, !uch as the maintenance of archives %or hi!torical or other 'ublic interest 'ur'oses, or un"er right to in%ormation la(!+ <oreover, !uch exem'tion! or limitation! mu!t be inter'reted broa"ly !o as to ive meanin %ul ef%ect to the ri ht! to %reedom of ex'res!ion an" to in%ormation+ The Data Protection Bill %ail! to take these concern! into account %ully an" rai!es a""itional 'roblem! aroun" the 'ublication of in%ormation+ International law <ost of the key international in!trument! on "ata 'rotection have !'eci&cally inclu"ed 'rovi!ion! requirin that %reedom of ex'res!ion an" "ata 'rotection be reconcile" throu h exem'tion! %or /ournali!m, literary 'ur'oses an" other reason!+ #early all countries aroun" the (orl" that have adopte" "ata 'rotection act! have !'eci&cally inclu"ed a clear exem'tion %or /ournali!tic, arti!tic, literary, an" other cultural 'ur'oses (hich allow! %or the rules limiting 'roces!ing to be (aived %or those 'ur'oses+ The $%rican Dnion *onvention on *yber Security an" Per!onal Data Protection al!o 'rovi"es that 'roces!in %or /ournali!m an" other 8?E 'ur'oses !houl" be exem't %rom limit! on 'roces!in + $rticle 14 !tates: Personal data processing for journalistic purposes or for the purpose of research or artistic or literary expression shall be acceptable where the processing is solely for literary and artistic expression or for professional exercise of journalistic or research activity, in accordance with the code of conduct of these professions.