MICT finalising Data Protection Bill
The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology is finalising the Data Protection Bill, which aims to control the collection, storage, and processing of personal data.
On Monday, the ministry held a two-day validation workshop in Windhoek to take public feedback into account and validate the content of the bill before submitting it to Cabinet.
Speaking at the workshop, information and communication technology director Linda Aipinge said the bill aims to protect individual rights, freedom, and privacy.
“We are all aware that with digital transformation, digitalisation requires a large amount of data online and in digital format. And this poses a high risk of breaches, and therefore this necessitates a law that protects the citizens’ privacy online,” Haipinge said.
She said the legislation will also place obligations on controllers and processors of personal information.
“It is very important that you all understand, as processors and controllers, what your obligations are, and if you don’t comply, there will be legal consequences according to the law,” Haipinge said.
According to Samsom Muhapi, who spearheaded the drafting of the bill, the legislation also makes provisions for restrictions and exemptions, which are mostly applicable to national security.
“I think we have our police members, they need to know what the restrictions are,” he said.
He said there are sections dedicated to obtaining information through search warrants. “I think it’s a normal practice at the moment that you can be a police officer, but you have no right to actually enter my home without a search warrant,” Muhapi said.
He noted that the Data Protection Bill contains 76 sections, including a provision for the establishment of a Data Protection Supervisory Authority.
Amongst others, the regulatory authority will receive and investigate complaints about alleged violations of the protection of personal data and report to complainants in respect of such complaints.
Source: The Namibia Press Agency