national 7 May 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Ex-NIRA Employee Remanded for Data Breach and Unauthorized Processing
A former registration assistant at Uganda's National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has been remanded in custody for allegedly disclosing and processing personal data without consent. The individual is accused of sharing sensitive National ID details with an unauthorized party. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/ex-nira-staff-remanded-over-unlawful-disclosure-processing-personal-data-without-consent-5450542
A magistrate’s court in Kampala has ordered the detention of Douglas Kaaya, a former registration assistant with the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA). Kaaya faces charges of unlawfully disclosing and processing personal data belonging to a citizen without proper authorization.
The prosecution alleges that on December 4, 2024, at the NIRA offices in Makindye, Kaaya shared sensitive National ID information of one Scovia Nabulime with an individual identified as Umar Bashir. This disclosure was reportedly done without the consent of Nabulime or authorization from NIRA.
Kaaya is also accused of accessing and processing Nabulime’s national identification details without her consent. He was remanded to Luzira prison until May 18, 2026, to allow for ongoing investigations. Reports suggest Kaaya may have exploited his position at NIRA to illegally access and provide National ID information to a suspected human trafficking ring.
His arrest is linked to a recent BBC investigation that uncovered a network recruiting young Ugandan women with false job offers for Dubai, leading to exploitative labor and prostitution. Kaaya’s bail application was previously delayed due to incomplete documentation.
Uganda’s Data Protection and Privacy Act of 2019 governs the handling of personal information. However, data breaches remain a concern, exacerbated by increasing digitalization, enforcement challenges, and limited public awareness. A report by Unwanted Witness highlights that Uganda still needs to improve its personal data protection measures.
The Daily Monitor reported on this story.