Dar es Salaam, April 3 -- IN the past few days, I have followed carefully and with a sense of professional responsibility the public conversation that emerged after my presentation at the TBC Washitiri Meeting in Arusha.

What began as a straightforward reminder on compliance with the Personal Data Protection Act, Cap. 44 (PDPA), has, in some quarters, been distorted into a narrative that risks creating unnecessary fear among citizens.

Let me begin with clarity. At no point did I state that every individual who owns a CCTV camera must register with the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC).

What I emphasized firmly and deliberately is thatNany institution, public or private, that collects and processes personal data has a legal obl...