Be cautious with personal information, says Zanzibar CS

ZANZIBAR: ZANZIBAR’S Chief Secretary (CS), Engineer Zena Ahmed Said, has urged all citizens to exercise caution when sharing their personal information, as it can be misused to commit various offences.

She made this call during a seminar on Personal Data Protection for Permanent Secretaries, here over the weekend. Eng Said emphasised to the participants—and to the public at large—the importance of safeguarding personal data to ensure the protection of individual privacy.

“There are risks when personal data is taken without consent. It can be used to commit crimes, leading to distress, job loss and abuse, among other dangers,” she explained. “For instance, if someone’s health information is exposed without their consent, it could cause emotional distress. Let us all learn how to protect our personal data,” she added.

Director General of the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) at the Ministry of Information, Communication and Information Technology, Mr Emmanuel Mkilia, said that the introduction of laws and public education on personal data protection aims to promote human rights at the individual level.

“Data protection is a fundamental right, and it is enshrined in the constitutions of both Zanzibar and Tanzania under Articles 16 and 15, which emphasise the importance of respecting privacy,” Mr Mkilia said.

He further noted that the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar has taken significant steps to protect citizens’ data, even before the introduction of the Personal Data Protection (PDP) law.

This reflects the government’s recognition of the importance of individual privacy.

With the rapid advancement of technology, Mr Mkilia stressed the need for robust legislation to ensure accountability in managing personal data and safeguarding human dignity.

“Understanding and working together will help us create strategies to protect citizens and build trust in institutions, particularly government offices,” he explained.

The DG also pointed out that the implementation of data protection laws promotes transparency and respect for citizens’ rights.

“This is an opportunity for us to discuss and deepen our understanding of the role of privacy rights protection through the PDP law established in 2020, which has yet to be fully implemented,” he added.

On her part, Ms Fatma Hamadi, Permanent Secretary of Zanzibar’s Ministry of Information, Youth, Culture and Sports, noted that the introduction of the PDP law is a significant step toward safeguarding private information.

“Despite the tough penalties for data breaches, hackers often disregard them because they profit substantially from selling people’s information and causing harm to individuals and governments,” she lamented.

Topics covered during the one-day seminar included the concept of personal data protection, the introduction to PDPC, an overview of personal data protection and its origins, the legal and regulatory framework of the PDPA and the impact of emerging technologies on personal data protection.