Nairobi, October 21, 2025 – Safaricom, Kenya’s leading telecom operator, is embroiled in a major data privacy breach case after failing to prevent the theft and potential sale of personal data belonging to 11.5 million subscribers. The incident, which involves two former managers and a businessman, Benedict Kabugi, has sparked legal battles and raised concerns over data security.
The breach came to light when Safaricom sought a court injunction to block the sale or transfer of the stolen data, which includes customer names, phone numbers, birth dates, gambling records, and ID or passport numbers.
The data, allegedly compiled using an algorithm to analyze betting patterns, was transferred from Safaricom servers to password-protected Google Drives, which the company has been unable to access. Subsequent transfers to personal laptops have complicated efforts by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to recover the information, with two devices still untraced.
Safaricom’s attempt to settle the matter out of court failed, as confirmed during a High Court session on October 8, 2025.
The telecom giant has accused the former managers of breaching their contractual duties by harvesting data beyond their authorization and has labeled Kabugi a “fake whistleblower” seeking Sh100 million to disclose the data’s source.
Kabugi, in turn, has filed a constitutional petition claiming Safaricom violated the Data Protection Act, demanding Sh100 million plus Sh10 million per affected subscriber.
The stolen data, representing 23% of Safaricom’s customer base, poses significant risks of identity fraud and online scams, prompting the company to seek court protection against potential lawsuits and regulatory penalties.
The case is set for a pretrial on October 30, 2025, with civil, constitutional, and criminal proceedings ongoing. Authorities are intensifying efforts to penalize firms for data breaches, a trend seen globally with companies like Uber and Equifax facing hefty fines.
There's no story that cannot be told. We cover the stories that others don't want to be told, we bring you all the news you need. If you have tips, exposes or any story you need to be told bluntly and all queries write to us [email protected] also find us on Telegram
