• People should not worry, as a committee of Parliament, we will look at all aspects of the policy and all the stakeholders will be given an opportunity to give their opinions
• Therefore the fears that the mounting of the cameras in public places will amount to spying or infringing on ones privacy may not hold water.
For security reasons and for us (Kenya) with a history of terror attacks, it is a good policy as it will help the country enhance the security and protection of the citizens.
People should not worry, as a committee of Parliament, we will look at all aspects of the policy and all the stakeholders will be given an opportunity to give their opinions regarding the policy.
Where they have fears, then Parliament will have a chance to resolve. But we should not condemn the policy yet.
The conversation on the policy is healthy and the concerns being raised by the members of the public will be addressed before the policy if firmed up and approved for implementation.
The other critical matter that the members of the public should note is that we now have the Data Protection law which stipulates how to collect and protect public data.
Therefore the fears that the mounting of the cameras in public places will amount to spying or infringing on privacy may not hold any credence.
Apart from the surveillance cameras that were put in Nairobi and Mombasa, most buildings, homes, learning institutions and now even in some public service vehicles, have these cameras.
So in essence, these cameras are there and collecting data and the policy, I think is to put a legal framework to guide the whole process and how such information is used.
Parliament will ensure that the policy is aligned with all existing laws so that we protect the public.
I hope that with such a policy, we will have an independent controller who will have oversight of the data collected and will be the only one to authorize access to such information.
The data will be secured. The regulating agency should take the necessary steps to ensure the integrity of information in its possession.
To the best of my knowledge and the information that I have regarding the policy so far is that the data controllers will determine the purpose and the manner in which the data collected is processed and consumed.
The Marakwet West MP, who is also chairman of the ICT committee, spoke to the Star.