Privacy Policy

Your privacy is our priority. Learn how we collect, use, and protect your personal data in accordance with Kenyan law.

Data Protection Statement

Voices254 ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your personal data and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website or participate in our community activities.

This policy complies with the Kenya Data Protection Act, 2019 (the "Act") and outlines your rights as a data subject. Please read this policy carefully to understand our views and practices regarding your personal data.

Last Updated: March 2026

1. Data Controller

For the purposes of the Kenya Data Protection Act, 2019, the data controller is:

Voices254 Initiative

P.O. Box 12345-00100, Nairobi, Kenya

Email: privacy@voices254.co.ke

Phone: +254 700 123 456

2. Information We Collect

We may collect and process the following categories of personal data:

Personal Identification Information

  • Full name, username, or alias
  • Email address
  • Phone number (optional)
  • County or region of residence

Community Interaction Data

  • Posts, comments, and stories you share
  • Reactions, likes, and engagement data
  • Groups or communities you join

Technical & Usage Data

  • IP address, browser type, device information
  • Pages visited, time spent, referral source
  • Cookies and similar tracking technologies

3. How We Use Your Information

We process your personal data only for specified, explicit, and legitimate purposes as required by Section 25 of the Data Protection Act:

Account Creation & Management: To create and maintain your user account, verify your identity, and provide customer support.
Community Engagement: To enable you to participate in discussions, share stories, and connect with other members across Kenya.
Communications: To send you updates, newsletters, event invitations, and important service announcements (with your consent).
Platform Improvement: To analyze usage patterns, improve user experience, and develop new features that serve our community.
Safety & Compliance: To detect and prevent fraud, abuse, or violations of our Community Guidelines, and to comply with legal obligations.

4. Legal Basis for Processing

Under the Kenya Data Protection Act, we process your personal data based on the following legal grounds:

  • Consent: Where you have given explicit consent for specific processing activities (e.g., marketing communications).
  • Contractual Necessity: To fulfill our obligations under the Terms of Service and provide the services you request.
  • Legal Obligation: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, or court orders.
  • Legitimate Interests: To improve our platform, ensure security, and foster community engagement, provided your rights do not override such interests.

5. Data Sharing & Disclosure

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

  • Service Providers: With trusted third-party vendors who assist in operating our platform (hosting, analytics, email delivery) under strict confidentiality agreements.
  • Legal Requirements: When required by law, court order, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Voices254, our users, or the public.
  • Community Partners: With your explicit consent, we may share limited information with partner organizations for community initiatives.
  • Aggregated Data: We may share anonymized, aggregated statistics for research or reporting purposes that do not identify individuals.
Important: Any third-party data processors are contractually obligated to process data in accordance with the Kenya Data Protection Act and maintain appropriate security measures.

6. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure a level of security appropriate to the risk, including:

End-to-end encryption for sensitive data Secure data centers Access controls & authentication Regular security audits Data minimization practices

While we strive to protect your personal data, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but will notify you and the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner of any data breach as required by law.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. When data is no longer required, we securely delete or anonymize it. Account data is retained for the duration of your membership and for a reasonable period thereafter in accordance with our data retention schedule.

8. Your Rights Under the Data Protection Act

As a data subject in Kenya, you have the following rights:

Right to be Informed

You have the right to be informed about how we collect and use your personal data.

Right to Access

You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you, free of charge.

Right to Rectification

You can request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data.

Right to Erasure (Right to be Forgotten)

You can request deletion of your personal data when it is no longer necessary or if consent is withdrawn.

Right to Restriction of Processing

You can request that we limit how we use your personal data in certain circumstances.

Right to Data Portability

You can request your data in a structured, commonly used format to transfer to another controller.

Right to Object

You can object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes.

Right to Lodge a Complaint

You have the right to lodge a complaint with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) if you believe your rights have been violated.

9. How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of your rights, please contact our Data Protection Officer (DPO) using the following details:

Data Protection Officer: Mercy Wanjiku

Email: dpo@voices254.co.ke

Phone: +254 700 123 456

Address: Voices254 Initiative, P.O. Box 12345-00100, Nairobi, Kenya

We will respond to all legitimate requests within 30 days as required by the Data Protection Act. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request to protect your privacy.

10. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience, analyze site traffic, and personalize content. You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings. For more details, please see our Cookie Policy. Essential cookies that enable core functionality do not require consent, while analytical and marketing cookies require your explicit consent.

11. Children's Privacy

Voices254 is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent. If we discover that a child under 13 has provided us with personal data, we will take steps to delete such information. If you believe we have collected data from a child, please contact us immediately.

12. International Data Transfers

Our servers are located in Kenya. In cases where we use third-party service providers outside Kenya, we ensure that adequate safeguards are in place, including standard contractual clauses approved by the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, to protect your data in accordance with Kenyan law.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date. Material changes will be communicated to you via email or through a prominent notice on our website. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

Questions or Concerns?

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please contact our Data Protection Officer.

Email DPO Contact Us

Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC): www.odpc.go.ke