Fresh legal trouble has emerged for Kenyan telecommunications company Safaricom after the firm was ordered to compensate 11 more complainants over the unlawful exposure of private customer data in a major privacy breach that affected nearly 11.5 million subscribers.
The latest court ruling has now pushed the total compensation payout to more than Sh11 million, adding pressure on the company as concerns over digital privacy continue to grow in Kenya.
The case dates back to between 2018 and 2019 when reports surfaced alleging that confidential subscriber information had been accessed and shared without proper authorization.
Millions of customers were reportedly affected, raising fears over the possible misuse of sensitive personal data, including risks linked to identity theft, fraud, and unauthorized access to private records.
The complainants argued that the exposure of their information violated their constitutional right to privacy.
In its ruling, the court found that the telecom provider had failed to put in place sufficient measures to protect customer information from unauthorized exposure.
The judgment stated that companies handling personal data have a duty to ensure such information remains secure and protected at all times.
One of the complainants welcomed the decision, saying the ruling sends a clear message to corporations that customer privacy must be taken seriously.
According to the complainant, the judgment proves that companies cannot mishandle private information without facing consequences.
The latest compensation order is expected to increase calls for stronger cybersecurity systems and stricter compliance with Kenya’s data protection laws.
Concerns over how companies collect, store, and share personal information have become more important for many Kenyans.
Although Safaricom has not publicly released a detailed response to the latest ruling, the case is likely to revive national debate about corporate accountability and digital privacy rights.
Legal experts believe the outcome could also shape future court cases involving data protection and the handling of customer information by large organizations in Kenya.
