Why do we even have data protection laws? Octopizzo questions plan to sell e-Citizen data
Kenyan rapper Octopizzo has questioned the government’s proposed plan to commercialise anonymised data collected through the eCitizen platform, raising concerns about privacy and the effectiveness of existing data protection laws.
In a statement shared on his X account on Monday, June 8, 2026, the rapper reacted to reports that the government is considering creating a national data marketplace where anonymised and aggregated datasets from platforms such as eCitizen could be licensed to approved users, including businesses, researchers and non-governmental organisations.
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“Why do we even have data protection laws then,” Octopizzo questioned.
National asset
His remarks come after details emerged from the Draft Final National Data Governance Policy, May 2026, which proposes treating data as a strategic national asset capable of generating revenue while supporting innovation and research. Under the proposal, government agencies would register anonymised datasets in a central catalogue, allowing authorised users to access them through a paid licensing system.
The government maintains that only non-personal and anonymised data would be made available for commercial use. According to the draft policy, personal information would remain protected under Kenya’s Data Protection Act, 2019, and datasets would be subject to security, ethical and quality controls before being shared.
According to the policy document, the government believes the initiative could help improve service delivery, reduce duplication across public institutions and support sectors such as agriculture, transport and healthcare through better use of data.
The proposed framework would also establish new governance structures, including a National Data Governance and Emerging Technologies Council and a Data Governance Office within the Ministry of ICT to oversee the management, sharing and protection of government data.
