Africa-Press – Botswana. The Vice President, His Honour Slumber Tsogwane says regulating how personal data is collected, stored and used will promote how organisations handle information which is crucial for a healthy democracy.
The Vice President said this when contributing to the debate on the Data Protection Bill of 2024 which was presented to Parliament by the Minister for State President, Honourable Kabo Morwaeng.
Mr Tsogwane said the Data Protection Bill aimed to safeguard personal data and privacy and had an impact on promoting democracy and also enhanced transparency and accountability.
He said the Bill provided for individuals to have greater control over their personal data, saying it empowered citizens to have a say on how their information was used and protected.
Vice President Tsogwane further said the Bill ensured effective data protection that helped to prevent misuse of data by both state and non-state actors, including curbing surveillance and ensuring that data was not used for discriminatory practices, thereby protecting citizens’ rights and freedoms.
Contributing to the debate, Ngami MP, Mr Caterpillar Hikuama supported the Bill, saying it set clear rules and standards for data handling and also encouraged organisations to act responsibly.
Mr Hikuama added that protecting personal data would create a more equitable environment where personal information would be respected.
Okavango MP, Mr Kenny Kapinga also supported the Bill, saying it was long overdue. However, he cautioned against companies that used information to exploit Batswana.
Earlier on, Minister Morwaeng had indicated that the Bill sought to make provision for continuation of Information and Data Protection Commission and give it functional independence, to regulate the protection of personal data and to ensure that the privacy of individuals in relation to personal data was maintained.
Emphasising its importance, he said the Bill intended to protect fundamental rights and freedoms of natural persons with regards to privacy of personal data.
“This Bill affects all the citizens of this country as it seeks to regulate the protection of their personal data and ensure that their privacy in relation to their private matter is maintained,” he said.
He added, “The Bill continues information about data protection commission and affirms its operational independence.
Part III distils competencies of the commission, its investigative corrective and advisory powers under the Act,” he said.
The Minister further said the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) updated its recommendation tool in October 2020, by introducing a criterion which required that countries should have cooperation and coordination between relevant authorities to ensure compatibility of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Control requirements with data protection and private rules and other similar provision.
He said in order for Botswana to demonstrate compliance with FATF recommendations, there was need to implement Data Protection Act and generate compliance data for the FATF third round of mutual evaluation that would be held in 2027.
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