The East Africa Data Governance took place on 26th and 27th February 2025, calling for collaboration to advance data governance in East Africa.

In partnership with Amnesty International, we embarked on an ambitious journey to strengthen data governance in Kenya and across East Africa. Central to this mission has been the #FichaUchi Campaign, a multi-phase initiative aimed at raising awareness about data privacy and protection in East Africa. From its inception in 2021 the campaign has evolved significantly. […]

With technology advancing and data becoming key for decision making, East Africa is in need of a strong governance framework to balance the use of data with privacy, ethics, and security. To address this, the Open Institute in collaboration with  Amnesty International Kenya will be hosting the East Africa Data Governance Conference on November 26-27, […]

The Civic Tech Innovation Forum 2024 opened up fresh perspectives on the interplay between technology, data, and governance across Africa. Themed “Under The Hood”, it caused civil society players to reflect on the relationship between self, community and tech while looking under the hood, underneath the surface of our work, our communities and the technology […]

In today’s data-driven world, We are generating data at an unprecedented rate. Data can reveal trends and patterns, highlight areas needing investment, and monitor the effectiveness of policy interventions. By leveraging data, governments can make informed decisions that lead to better outcomes for citizens, promoting more accountable and responsible governance.  Should we harmonise data in […]

The Finance Bill, 2024 has sparked significant uproar across Kenya, leading to widespread demonstrations and public outcry. Citizens have taken to the streets to protest against the proposed tax increases, expressing their frustration and discontent with the government’s financial policies during a period of economic hardship. The protests have been marked by large gatherings in […]

We launched the #FichaUchi campaign to raise awareness about the inadvertent exposure of personal information among Kenyan citizens. Through a series of talk shows broadcasted on community radios across nine counties in Kenya, we sought to shed light on data protection and educate citizens with knowledge about their rights. The discussions touched on various facets […]

In 2023, the Ficha Uchi Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) covered 9 counties, aiming to delve deeper into citizens’ perceptions of personal data. This is what we learned. In East Africa, especially in Kenya, the progression of data protection regulations has often trailed behind more developed regions. Despite the notable advancement with the enactment of the Kenya […]

In 2023, the Ficha Uchi Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) covered 9 counties, aiming to delve deeper into citizens' perceptions of personal data. This is what we learned.

After the successful Ficha Uchi campaign we ran in 2023, reaching over 100 million people digitally, we assessed the impact of our messaging using a powerful tool called Swayable. Swayable operates on the principle of test and control sampling, a method widely employed in research and marketing to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions. The test sample comprises responses […]