Nairobi Court Restrains Safaricom From Sharing Data of Former Staff

The Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nairobi has issued interim orders restraining Safaricom PLC from further sharing personal data linked to several former employees. The decision follows a petition where the claimants sought protection for their private information while an ongoing legal dispute remains unresolved.

These orders serve as a temporary measure to maintain the status quo regarding the handling of sensitive personnel information. The court found it necessary to intervene after allegations emerged that certain data sets were being handled in a manner that could compromise the privacy rights of the individuals involved.

The case centers on the responsibilities of Safaricom as a data controller. Under current Kenyan law, companies are required to implement strict safeguards to prevent unauthorized access or dissemination of personal information. The petitioners argue that their data has been exposed to third parties without their consent.

Safaricom has previously maintained that it adheres to international data protection standards and that any breaches involving former staff often involve individual actions taken outside the scope of official employment. The firm has argued that it cannot be held vicariously liable for the criminal or unauthorized conduct of its workers.

Legal representatives for the former employees have pushed for these restraining orders to prevent what they describe as further injury to their clients. The court noted that the protection of personal data is a constitutional right and that interim relief is appropriate until a full hearing can be conducted.

This development comes as telecommunications companies in Kenya face increased scrutiny over how they manage vast amounts of subscriber and employee data. The court's move signals a tightening of judicial oversight regarding digital privacy within the corporate sector.

Future proceedings will determine whether the interim orders will be made permanent or if Safaricom can prove that its data management protocols were sufficient. For now, the telecommunications firm is barred from any further transmission of the specific data sets named in the petition.