Key Takeaways

• A report reveals that “smart city” initiatives in Africa are often used for extensive digital surveillance of citizens rather than crime prevention.
• Foreign companies, particularly from China and Israel, supply advanced surveillance tools, which are employed to monitor and control political dissent and opposition.
• A lack of legal safeguards permits widespread government surveillance, undermining privacy rights and democratic freedoms across multiple African nations.

Unmasking “Smart Cities” in Africa

A recent report from Unwanted Witness highlights alarming uses of digital surveillance in Africa disguised as “smart city” initiatives. Countries like Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe promote projects aimed at enhancing public safety, but the report argues their true purpose is to surveil citizens, journalists, and political opponents.

The report, titled “Surveillance/Spyware: An Impediment to Civil Society, HRDs and Journalists in East & Southern Africa,” indicates that the global spyware industry, valued at $12 billion, exploits weak regulations across the continent. Notably, foreign companies, especially from China and Israel, provide advanced surveillance technologies to sub-Saharan African governments. These tools include hacking systems like Pegasus and Remote Control System (RCS), which can compromise devices without user interaction.

The initiative in Uganda stands out as a prime example. The $126 million Huawei Safe City Project in Kampala installed 1,800 CCTV cameras equipped with facial recognition linked to a police command center. The report emphasizes that vague national security laws are misused to justify these surveillance measures, particularly targeting human rights defenders and journalists.

Noteworthy incidents occurred, such as the Huawei-assisted hacking of opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi’s communication accounts in 2018, leading to mass arrests. The report reveals that surveillance footage is often combined with spyware to monitor individuals, leading to serious human rights violations.

This issue is prevalent in several countries beyond Uganda. In Rwanda, government laws justify extensive surveillance, targeting over 3,500 individuals, including exiled journalists and dissidents. Countries like Kenya also implemented “Safe City” projects with Huawei, which, despite claims of crime reduction, saw an increase in crime rates post-installation. Zimbabwe’s Zim Cyber City and Ethiopia’s reliance on Chinese tech companies further amplify the concern.

Lack of legal protections is a critical issue across Africa. Vaguely worded laws on national security allow for broad interpretations, enabling extensive government surveillance without oversight. Even existing data protection laws contain exemptions that weaken their effectiveness. The report underscores that these so-called security measures often serve to suppress dissent, hurting democratic freedoms and civic engagement, rather than protecting citizens.

The findings serve as a wake-up call about the hidden realities of surveillance under the guise of urban safety in Africa.

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