STATEMENT BY CABINET AT THE END OF ITS

7
th
ORDINARY MEETING AT STATE HOUSE, NAIROBI
Cabinet today approved a raft of key policy measures, ranging
from access to information policy and privacy and data protection
to the development of special economic zones. The meeting was
chaired by President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House, Nairobi.
Privacy and Data Protection Policy
The enactment of legislation on protection of personal information
is meant to ensure that our privacy and data protection policy and
law are consistent with the Constitution, and the international
conventions and instruments to which Kenya is a signatory.
The Constitution provides for the right of every citizen to privacy,
which includes the right not to have their person, home or
property searched without due process; their possessions seized,
information relating to their family or private affairs unnecessarily
required or revealed, or the privacy of their information infringed.
Access to Information Policy and Access to Information
Law
Implementation of the Access to Information Policy and Law will
ensure that citizens greatly benefit from the statutory provisions of
Public Sector information. This will facilitate their communication
with public bodies and increase their participation in the
democratic process and nation building. The Policy and Law will
also increase openness and transparency, better records
management, improved accountability and improved public access
to information held by Government.
Special Economic Zones Bill, 2014
Cabinet approved a memorandum on the revised Special Economic
Zones Bill, 2014. Setting up of the Zones will be used as a tool to
promote industrialization, private investment, employment
creation, and growth of export diversification by offering high-
quality infrastructure and streamlined business processes through
a one-stop-shop and incentives to SEZ businesses.
Activities under the Special Economic Zones programme will
include manufacturing, processing, assembly, mixing, beneficiation
and fabrication; services and logistics; warehousing; handling and
storage of goods; clearing and forwarding; and bulk breaking
Proposed Exit of Essar from Kenya Petroleum Refineries
Ltd
Cabinet approved the purchase by the Government of 50 percent
shareholding held by EEOL (Essar) at a price of $5 million, the
same price EEOL paid in 2009 for the shares.
Cabinet also ratified the following memoranda at the meeting:
"# The East African Protocol on Co-operation in Defence Affairs,
II. The Mutual Defence Pact Between Kenya, Uganda and
Rwanda,
"""# The agreement on the Establishment of the Eastern Africa
Standby Force
"$# The Mutual Peace and Security Pact
$# The East African Community Protocol on Peace and Security
$"# The Nile Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement.
PSCU
11
th
September, 2014