A critical Analysis of the Data Governance and Regulatory Efficacy under the Kenya Data Protection Act

At this point in time of writing this article (January of 2025); it is remarkable, the strides human- kind has been able to make technologically from when we can trace our inception in this world. Strikingly, our dependency on technology is somewhat critical to our survival as we move forward.Notably, as technology continues to pervade human life, one inherent feature comes to the fore. To expound on this, human data is key in functioning of technology. From simple gadgets as our handsets, we are required to register our identity to our network providers in order to enjoy day- to-day usage. On our social interaction platforms, our names and profile photos, including addresses are requisite for identification. In workplaces, our data attributing educational backgrounds, achievements and work experiences are stored. In healthcare, data concerning our biological make up is recorded. Governments on the other hand have identification of its citizens from birth to death. From these few examples, we can reckon how much human data is augmented with the technological ecosystem. Juxtaposed with the highlight above, the basis of this article is on the ironical end of human inclination to privacy. It is axiomatic that human beings at an individual level need and ought to have control of their personal matters and personal information. Control and consent on what the public should be able to know about individuals lies on the person. This is what informs data privacy and governance in Kenya.