Nairobi's high-powered CCTV cameras-You can run, but cannot hide

The high-tech system was officially launched by President Uhuru Kenyatta in May 2015. Developed by Safaricom, it includes 1,800 high-powered CCTV cameras and an emergency response contact centre that is equipped to receive up to 25,000 calls per day.

The system uses three high-definition cameras; infra-red cameras, box cameras and dome cameras. The dome camera can cover a 360 degree area while the infra-red camera has ability to capture images in low-light areas.

Since its inception, police have easily tracked stolen cars or those used to commit felonies through automatic number plate recognition. Officers feed the system with car details and every time it passes an area fitted with the cameras, an alert is sent to the IC3 centre.

Is there a possibility the cameras are diverted for other purposes outside police duty limited scope of detecting crimes through the CCTVs? It is worth noting there is no clear framework or policy safeguarding against infringement to privacy of law-abiding citizens.

According to Linet, individuals with bad intentions could be influencing the manipulation of the cameras for personal gain. “For instance, a suspicious spouse can pay to have his/her partner spied, or criminals can do the same on victims they intend to harm or rob,” she explains.

Since officers manning the centre have exclusive rights, the public has no idea what transpires in the control room. This in essence means without back-up images or concrete evidence, one would find it difficult proving claims of intrusion on privacy.