Beyond Privacy Day: Why protecting personal data must remain national priority

DAR ES SALAAM: EARLIER this week, on 28 January 2026, Tanzania joined the rest of the world in marking Privacy Day, a moment set aside to reflect on the value of privacy and the protection of personal data in an increasingly digital society.

While the date has passed, the message should not. Privacy Day was never meant to be a one-day observance that fades with the calendar. It is a reminder, timely and necessary, that protecting personal data is a responsibility we carry every day, as institutions, as businesses, and as individuals.

Throughout the week, the country marked the occasion through public awareness activities aimed at educating citizens, the data subjects, while also conducting specialised training for public and private institutions that collect and process personal data. These engagements carried a simple but powerful message: personal data protection is no longer a side issue. It sits at the heart of good governance, economic growth, institutional credibility, and public trust. What does the right to privacy really mean for you?

Under Article 16(1) of the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania, every person has the right to privacy and personal security. In practical terms, this means your personal information, your name, identification details, phone number, location data, health records, financial information, and even your digital communications, should not be collected, used, shared, or stored arbitrarily.

Any public or private institution that handles your personal data has a duty to do so lawfully, fairly, and securely, and only for legitimate purposes. As a citizen, you are entitled to expect that protection, and you have the right to question or challenge practices that undermine your privacy.

In today’s digital world, personal data quietly powers almost everything around us. Government services, telecommunications, financial transactions, healthcare systems, education platforms, and digital businesses all depend on data to function. When used responsibly, personal data improves efficiency, expands access, and fuels innovation. But when it is mishandled, over-collected, poorly secured, or misused, the consequences can be severe, identity theft, financial loss, discrimination, surveillance, and lasting reputational harm.

That is why the period after Privacy Day matters just as much as the day itself. It invites all of us to move beyond awareness and focus on sustained action.

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Protecting personal data is a shared national responsibility. Public institutions must continue strengthening governance frameworks to ensure data is collected lawfully, used for clear and legitimate purposes, and protected throughout its lifecycle. The private sector must recognise that personal data is not merely a commercial asset, but a trust placed in their hands, one that demands ethical handling, strong security, and accountability.

Every organisation that collects or processes personal data, from telecom operators and banks to hospitals, digital platforms, NGOs, and startups, must embed privacy into systems by design and by default, into internal processes, contracts, and organisational culture.