Mahakama inasitisha mkataba wa afya Kenya-Marekani juu ya faragha ya data

Mahakama Kuu ya Kenya imesitisha utekelezaji wa sehemu za mkataba wa ushirikiano wa afya kati ya Kenya na Marekani unaohusisha uhamisho wa data nyeti za kiafya. Iliyosainiwa Desemba 4, 2025, mkataba huo umekabiliwa na kesi kutoka kwa Seneta Okiya Omtatah na Shirikisho la Watumiaji Bidhaa Kenya (COFEK), wanaodai kuwa unakiuka haki za faragha na uhuru wa taifa. Wawakilishi wa serikali wamekemea wamiliki wa kesi hiyo kwa kuingilia programu za afya.

Desemba 4, 2025, Waziri Mkuu wa Baraza la Mawaziri Musalia Mudavadi alisaini Mkataba wa Ushirikiano wa Afya na Waziri wa Mambo ya Nje wa Marekani Marco Rubio huko Washington DC, na Rais William Ruto akawa mashuhuda. Mkataba huu wa miaka mitano unalenga kutoa ufadhili wa Ksh 10 bilioni hadi 50 bilioni, kuajiri wafanyikazi elfu, na kuboresha huduma za afya, lakini unahusisha uhamisho wa data za kiafya bila idhini ya mtu binafsi.

Seneta Okiya Omtatah na COFEK waliwasilisha kesi, wakihoji: "Je, data za afya ni za nani? Jibu ni kuwa ni za kila mtu binafsi." Omtatah aliongeza wasiwasi kuhusu majaribio ya kihistoria kama Tuskegee syphilis trials, na kuuliza: "Je, tuna hakikisho gani kuwa hatufungui maabara ya panya wa kufanya majaribio?" Walidai mkataba unakiuka Sheria ya Ulinzi wa Data, Sheria ya Afya Dijitali, na Ibara 10 ya Katiba kuhusu ushirikiano wa umma.

Hakim Bahati Mwamuye alitoa amri ya kusitisha sehemu zinazohusiana na uhamisho wa data za matabibu, za magonjwa au nyeti nyingine hadi kesi zisikilizwe. Kesi itatajwa Februari 12, 2025, mbele ya Hakimu Lawrence Mugambi. COFEK, kupitia katibu mkuu Stephen Mutoro, ilisema: "Data hizi ni nyeti na mali ya Wakenya, na sehemu ya miundombinu ya usalama wa taifa."

Wakati huo huo, Mudavadi na Waziri wa Ulinzi Soipan Tuya, wakizungumza wakati wa kuanzisha Hospitali ya Sololo katika Kaunti ya Marsabit Desemba 11, 2025, walilaani wamiliki wa kesi. Mudavadi alisema: "Kuna Wanakenya wanaoamka kila siku kufikiria jinsi ya kuingilia serikali; wengine wameenda mahakamani kukataa programu ya afya ambayo Rais Ruto alipata fedha kutoka Marekani." Tuya aliongeza: "Inahuzunisha kuona mtu anaenda mahakamani kusitisha programu ya UHC wakati Wanakenya wanaumia na hitaji la huduma hizi." Walisema nchi jirani kama Uganda zimesainiwa, na Rwanda inafuata, na serikali itapambana na kesi hiyo.

Omtatah alisema serikali haiwezi kufanya biashara ya data za afya bila idhini, na kesi inaweza kufika Mahakama Kuu.

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