The Interior and National Government Coordination Ministry plans to roll out an extensive plan to ensure all businesses are fitted with elaborate Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras.
In the new law, business owners will be compelled to install high-grade KEBS-approved CCT cameras and recorders to monitor all the public spaces they operate in.
To ensure the drive is effective, the Security officials at the individual counties where the businesses operate will walk shop to shop to enforce this directive.
This, according to the draft, will ensure that security incidences such as terrorism, mugging, burglary, robbery and theft are prevented, thwarted or even properly prosecuted with CCTV footage evidence.
In a Tweet, Interior Ministry’s spokesperson, Wangui Muchiri noted that a Public Participation is ongoing, and will end on the Wednesday of 14th August.
The @InteriorKE invites members of the public & all concerned stakeholders to submit views on the proposed National CCTV Policy by 14th Aug, 2019. The draft policy seeks to provide guidelines for the management of CCTV systems in Kenya and is available at https://t.co/1mOZprpRbv. pic.twitter.com/OCRgOiuMtd
— Wangui Muchiri (@WanguiMuchiri) August 5, 2019
Members of the public are thus requested to suggest their concerns on the draft before it is finally etched in the law.
What Business owners have to do
In the draft, business owners and institutions with public spaces will have to purchase and mount CCTV cameras to monitor all public spaces around them.
They will also be required to ensure that the CCTV cameras are properly serviced and that they are working 24 hours, seven days a week.
Also of note is that the county security department will have access to the details of the CCTV camera and that they will conduct quarterly audits of the footages of interest.
Owners of the CCTV will be required to provide reasonable access, connection, linkage and integration with security agencies for monitoring and subsequent action.
All security incidences will have to be reported to the police whenever they happen.
CCTV owners/operators will also be required to secure their footages for a minimum period of 90 days, and avail them as may be requested by security agencies from time to time.
Businesses and institutions will also have to do legible signage of the presence of CCTV cameras in their premises and ensure they are secured by passwords and electronic keys to restrict access.