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African Data Privacy Laws pp 3–23Cite as

The Context of Data Privacy in Africa

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Part of the book series: Law, Governance and Technology Series ((ISDP,volume 33))

Abstract

This chapter maps data privacy systems in Africa by providing insights into the nature of privacy concept in the African society generally, law reforms in the continent and enforcement. The chapter is organised in six sections. The first section provides an overview of the development of data privacy regulation as a result of the rise of new technologies. The second provides the context of the African society-its political history and culture. This section lays down foundation for Sect. 1.3 which deals with the notion of privacy in an African cultural context. Section 1.4 gives an overview of the international data privacy policies and their influence in the development of privacy policies in Africa. The general state of national privacy laws is presented in Sect. 1.5. Section 1.6 concludes the chapter.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    See e.g., Arendt (1958), pp. 152–168.

  2. 2.

    Hongladarom (2016), p. 9.

  3. 3.

    Nwauche (2007), Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 62–90, at p. 66.

  4. 4.

    Westin (1967).

  5. 5.

    Bezanson (1992), Vol. 80, No. 5, pp. 1133–1175, at p. 1137.

  6. 6.

    World meters http://www.worldometers.info/world-population/africa-population/ accessed 02.06.2016.

  7. 7.

    Ibid.

  8. 8.

    Ibid.

  9. 9.

    African Business (2011), Issue No. 381, pp. 17–24, at p. 18.

  10. 10.

    Ibid.

  11. 11.

    Ibid, p. 19.

  12. 12.

    For detailed discussion of the efficacy or otherwise of the current political system in Africa see generally Makulilo (2008); Gentili (2005).

  13. 13.

    Historians generally agree that Africa came into first contacts with Europe in the fifteenth century through Atlantic slave trade also known as ‘Triangular Slave Trade’ because of its behavioural pattern starting from Africa where slaves were sourced, proceeding to America where such slaves had to offer intensive labour force in mines and plantations owned by Europeans, then to Europe where farm and mineral products from America were finally shipped for industrial processing; and from Europe back to Africa where manufactured goods were dumped into Africa as market.

  14. 14.

    For details about the British ‘Indirect Rule’ see e.g. Crowder (1964), Vol. 34, No. 3, pp. 197–205.

  15. 15.

    See e.g., Andrew (2004), Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 143–166; Sinjela (1998), Vol. 23, No. 60, pp. 23–29, at p. 23.

  16. 16.

    See e.g., Prempeh (2007), Vol. 5, pp. 469–506, at p. 474; Wing (1992), Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 295–380, at p. 308.

  17. 17.

    Paul (1988), Vol. 7, No. 1, pp. 1–34, at p. 14.

  18. 18.

    Sinjela, (n 15).

  19. 19.

    Ibid.

  20. 20.

    The Editors of the Spark (1965), P. 39.

  21. 21.

    The collapse of Soviet power led to the withdraw of military support to a variety of Soviet client states such as Angola. Moreover the end of Cold War reduced the geographical significance of Africa in Western eyes, because there was no longer any communist enemy to confront. Thus, western economic support for repressive anti-communist regimes lessened as well, see Wing (n16), p. 309.

  22. 22.

    Prempeh (n16), p. 502.

  23. 23.

    Ibid, p. 487.

  24. 24.

    Ibid, pp. 488–489.

  25. 25.

    Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act, 2013.

  26. 26.

    Tanzania Institute of Education (2002), pp. 16–17.

  27. 27.

    Ibid, p. 18.

  28. 28.

    See e.g., Henriot, http://sedosmission.org/old/eng/global.html accessed 08.06.2016; Olutayo and Omobawale (2007), Vol. 32, No. 2, pp. 97–112, at pp. 100–106.

  29. 29.

    See e.g., World Bank (2014),http://databank.worldbank.org/data/download/GNIPC.pdf accessed 08.06.2016.

  30. 30.

    Arieff et al. (2010), p. 8, http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/R40778.pdf accessed 08.06.2016.

  31. 31.

    Prempeh (n16), p. 483.

  32. 32.

    Rodney (1972), p. 103.

  33. 33.

    Ibid.

  34. 34.

    Ibid, pp. 41 and 103.

  35. 35.

    Ibid, pp. 103–104.

  36. 36.

    Ibid, p. 104.

  37. 37.

    Martin (2001), pp. 1–35, at p. 8.

  38. 38.

    Ibid.

  39. 39.

    Rodney (n32), p. 106.

  40. 40.

    Ibid.

  41. 41.

    Ibid.

  42. 42.

    Ibid.

  43. 43.

    See e.g., Molla (2000), Vol. 9, No. 3 & 4, pp. 205–221.

  44. 44.

    International Telecommunication Union (2009), http://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-d/opb/ind/D-IND-RPM.AF-2009-PDF-E.pdf accessed 08.06.2016.

  45. 45.

    Ibid.

  46. 46.

    Ibid.

  47. 47.

    Ibid.

  48. 48.

    Ibid.

  49. 49.

    See e.g. Alemna and Sam (2006) Vol. 22, No. 4, pp. 236–241; Fuchs and Horak (2008), Vol. 25, No. 2, pp. 99–116.

  50. 50.

    See e.g., Kasusse (2005), Vol. 37, No. 3, pp. 147–158, at p. 157; Gebremichael and Jackson (2006), Vol. 23, No. 2, pp. 267–280, at p. 272.

  51. 51.

    See e.g., Ezedike (2005), Vol. 8, No. 1, pp. 59–64, at p. 61.

  52. 52.

    Ubuntu has been defined differently by scholars. However to put it in simple terms, the concept Ubuntu refers to African philosophy which emphasises collectivist human relationship and assistance in everyday life. In Ubuntu, an individual is subjected under communal considerations. The concept is well developed in South African scholarship though it has its reflection in other African societies.

  53. 53.

    Olinger et al. (2007), Vol. 39, No. 1, pp. 31–43, at pp. 34–35.

  54. 54.

    Mbiti (1969), p. 144.

  55. 55.

    See e.g., McDonald (2010), Vol. 37, No. 124, pp. 139–152, at pp. 141–142.

  56. 56.

    See e.g., McAllister (2009), Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 1–10, at p. 2.

  57. 57.

    Nabudere (2008), pp. 1–20, at p. 1, http://www.grandslacs.net/doc/3621.pdf accessed 08.06.2016.

  58. 58.

    Taiwo (2010), p. 85.

  59. 59.

    Ezedike (n51).

  60. 60.

    Kigongo (1992), pp. 59–68, at p. 59.

  61. 61.

    Gyekye (1988), pp. 31–32.

  62. 62.

    Senghor (1966), Vol. 16, No. 1, pp. 1–18.

  63. 63.

    Achebe (1966), pp. 123–125.

  64. 64.

    Wa Thiong’o (2007).

  65. 65.

    Okigbo (1956), Vol. 305, pp. 125–133, at pp. 132–133.

  66. 66.

    Ntibagirirwa (2001), pp. 65–81, at p. 65.

  67. 67.

    Ibid, p.70.

  68. 68.

    Ibid, p.65.

  69. 69.

    Ibid, p.74.

  70. 70.

    See, Kimani (1998), p.1; see also, Edwards and Whiting (eds) (2004); Sindima (1990), Vol. 21, No. 2, pp. 190–209.

  71. 71.

    Omobowale (2006), Vol. 16, No. 2, pp. 85–95, at pp. 85 and 90.

  72. 72.

    Roe (1988), Vol. 26, No. 2, pp. 347–350.

  73. 73.

    Ibid, p.347.

  74. 74.

    Ibid, p. 349.

  75. 75.

    Ibid.

  76. 76.

    Thomas and Schoeneman (1997), Vol. 19, No. 2, pp. 261–273.

  77. 77.

    Ibid, p. 269.

  78. 78.

    Ibid.

  79. 79.

    Ferraro (1980), p. 3.

  80. 80.

    Ibid.

  81. 81.

    Ibid.

  82. 82.

    Ibid.

  83. 83.

    Tambulasi and Kayuni (2005), Vol. 14, No. 2, pp. 147–161.

  84. 84.

    Ibid, p. 149.

  85. 85.

    Maduagwu (2000), pp. 213–224, at p. 216.

  86. 86.

    Ibid, pp. 213–214.

  87. 87.

    Thomas and Schoeneman (n76), at p. 269; see also, Newell (2008), Vol. 44, No. 1, pp. 15–27.

  88. 88.

    See e.g., Kimani (n70); Ferraro (n79).

  89. 89.

    Lassiter (2000), Vol. 3, No. 3, pp. 1–21, at p. 5.

  90. 90.

    Kamwangamalu (1999), Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 24–41, at p. 27.

  91. 91.

    Gutwirth (2002), pp. 24–25.

  92. 92.

    Bakibinga (2004), pp. 1–13, at p. 12.

  93. 93.

    Ibid, p. 13.

  94. 94.

    EPIC Alert (2005) Vol. 11, No. 24, http://www.epic.org/alert/EPIC_Alert_11.24.html accessed 28.02.2016.

  95. 95.

    Neethling (2005), Vol. 122, No. 1, pp. 18–28, at p. 19.

  96. 96.

    Warren and Brandeis (1890), Vol. 4, No. 5, pp. 193–195.

  97. 97.

    Roos (2003), pp. 554–560.

  98. 98.

    [1996] 3 SA 262 (A) 271.

  99. 99.

    See e.g., De Hert and Schreuders (2001). See also, Bygrave (2001), Vol .24, No. 1, pp. 277–283.

  100. 100.

    See, e.g, Bygrave (1998), Vol .6, No. 3, pp. 247-284, at pp .283-284; see also, Ulyashyna (2006); De Hert and Gutwirth (2009), pp. 344.

  101. 101.

    Bygrave (2014), p. 1.

  102. 102.

    Ibid.

  103. 103.

    The EU has recently adopted the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2016 to replace the EU Directive. The GDPR will come into operation on 25 May 2018.

  104. 104.

    GLOBAL INTERNET LIBERTY CAMPAIGN PRIVACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS: An International Survey of Privacy Laws and Practice, http://gilc.org/privacy/survey/intro.html accessed 27.02.2016.

  105. 105.

    Ibid.

  106. 106.

    Bygrave (n 102), p.106.

  107. 107.

    Ibid.

  108. 108.

    See e.g., Tanzanian Judicature and Application of Laws Act, Cap.358 R.E 2002, s. 2 (3).

  109. 109.

    Makulilo (2013), Vol. 3, No. 1, pp .42–50.

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Makulilo, A.B. (2016). The Context of Data Privacy in Africa. In: Makulilo, A. (eds) African Data Privacy Laws. Law, Governance and Technology Series(), vol 33. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47317-8_1

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