Privacy Policy

This privacy policy has been compiled to better serve those who are concerned with how their “personal data” is being used on SMART Zambia Institute Digital platforms. If we refer to “personal data” or “data” in this policy, we mean personal data as defined in the Zambian Data Protection Act, No. 3 of 2021. Personal Data is defined as data which relates to an individual who can be directly or indirectly identified from that data which includes a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier, or one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person;.

Please read our privacy policy carefully to get a clear understanding of how we collect, use, protect or otherwise handle your personal information in accordance with our website.

Application of the Policy

1. This policy will apply if you access or use our website at https://www.szi.gov.zm.  When making any enquiries on our site or other digital platforms connected to SZI website, as appropriate, you may be asked to enter your name, email address or other details to help you with your experience.  This policy will apply to you, and will create a legally binding contract between us, whenever you use or access our website.

1. Our commitment. This policy is important to us. We are committed to taking steps to protect your privacy when you use our website and implementing business practices that comply with all relevant legislation.  In this policy, we explain how we will use and protect your personal information.

Security of information

A public body shall, in accordance with information security standards issued by the Division e-Government Act No. 4—

(a) develop and enforce security measures to safeguard information collected or used in connection with egovernment services from unauthorised disclosure; and

(b) take reasonable steps to ensure that every officer of the public body concerned with delivering services or collecting, placing, positing or disseminating information or services is aware of and complies with the security measures regarding the management and protection of information.

Information Collected

We generally store and use the following information on SZI website or digital platforms linked to our website: your first name(s), surname, address, phone numbers, email address, and any other information which we reasonably need to perform our obligations in terms of the agreement with you when you use our services.  

Receipt of information by public body

A public body may, where it consents to receive any information in electronic form, specify e-Government Act No.4 2021 —

(a) the manner and format in which the information shall be communicated to it;

(b) the type or method of electronic signature required, if any;

(c) control processes and procedures to ensure integrity, security and confidentiality of the information; and

(d) any other attributes for the information that is currently specified for corresponding information on paper.

Information Use

We use your information to provide our website and services to you and generally for purposes of our relationship. We may process the information we collect from you when you register, make any enquiries, respond to a survey, surf the website, or use certain other site features.  We may use your information for other purposes if the law allows for it, or if you consent to it, or if it is in the public interest.

Purposes for processing information.  

We will only process adequate and relevant information to:

1. • To respond to your customer service requests;
   • Contact you by e-mail, short-message-service, or other means to tell you about our services
   • Operate and manage your account and to process your transactions quickly;
   • Monitor and analyse our business;
   • Form a view of you as an individual and to identify, develop or improve our services that may interest you;
   • Carry out business and statistical analysis;
   • To ask for ratings and reviews of services or products, and carry out audits;
   • To follow up with you after correspondence (live chat, email or phone enquiries);
   • Perform other administrative and operational tasks like testing our processes and systems;
   • Comply with our regulatory or other obligations.

Sharing of Personal Information. 

In general, we may share your information with our affiliates, third party service providers, payment gateways, regulatory and tax authorities (if we are requested by them to do so), and any other third party if the law requires from us to share it.  We will keep your personal information confidential and only share it with others in terms of this policy, or if you consent to it, or if the law requires from us to share it. We have trusted relationships with carefully selected third parties who perform services for us. All these service providers have a contract with us in terms of which they have a legal obligation to secure your personal information and to use it only in a way that we permit.

Information Protection

1. Right to object. You may on reasonable grounds object to us using your information. If you object, we will stop using your information, except if the law allows its use.
2. Lodging a complaint. If you believe we are using your information unlawfully, you may lodge a complaint to the Information Regulator with the following contact details:

ZAMBIA INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY AUTHORITY

1. Our website is scanned on a regular basis for security holes and known vulnerabilities in order to make your visit to our site as safe as possible. We are committed to implement appropriate technical and other security measures to protect the integrity and confidentiality of your information. Your personal information is contained behind secured networks and is only accessible by a limited number of persons who have special access rights to such systems, and are required to keep the information confidential. In addition, all sensitive information you supply is encrypted via Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology.
2. Third parties, like payment gateways, may collect your payment details via our portals to ensure that you transact securely with us. Only the gateway provider will store and process these details, they are not stored or processed on our servers.
3. Security breach. We will report any security breach to ZICTA and to the individuals or companies involved. If you want to report any concerns about our privacy practices or if you suspect any breach regarding your information, kindly notify us by sending an email to helpdesk @szi.gov.zm.

Access to and retention of information

The Data retention notice in the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act number 2 of 2021 is as follow:

(1) Where a data retention notice is issued requiring an electronic communications service provider to retain internet connection records the specific data that the electronic communications service provider may be required to retain shall be specified in the retention notice.

(2) An electronic communication service provider shall not be required to retain data as part of an internet connection record.

Power to access, search and seize

A cyber inspector may, in the performance of the cyber inspector’s functions, with a warrant, at any reasonable time and without prior notice, enter any premises or access an information system and— (a) search the premises or that information system;

 (b) search any person on the premises if there are reasonable grounds to believe that the person has possession of an article, document or record that has a bearing on an investigation;

(c) take extracts from, or make copies of any book, document or record that is on or in the premises or in the information system and that has a bearing on an investigation;

(d) demand the production of, and inspect, relevant licences and registration certificates;

(e) inspect any facilities on the premises which are linked or associated with the information system; (f) access and inspect the operation of any computer or equipment forming part of an information system and any associated apparatus or material which the cyber inspector has reasonable cause to believe is, or has been used in, connection with any offence;

1. Integrity and access to your information. We want to ensure that your information is accurate and up to date. You may ask us to correct or remove any information that you think is inaccurate, by sending us an email to helpdesk @szi.gov.zm.  You have the right to request us to provide you with information that we hold about you. You must contact us directly, to do so or send an email to helpdesk @szi.gov.zm.
2. Retention of information. We retain information in accordance with the required retention periods in law or for legitimate business purposes. We will only retain your information for the purposes explicitly set out in this policy. We may keep information indefinitely in a de-identified format for statistical purposes. This policy also applies when we retain your information.

Use of Cookies

1. When you use our website, we automatically receive and record information on our server logs from your browser which may include your location, Internet Protocol address, cookie information, and the page you requested. This is statistical data about browsing actions and patterns and does not identify any individual. We may also obtain information about your general internet usage through a cookie file which is stored on the hard drive of your computer.
2. Cookies enable us to improve our service to you, compile aggregate data regarding our site traffic and interactive and usage patterns, store information about your preferences and recognise when you return to our website.
3. In instances where we collect and store information about your location, we may convert your Internet Protocol address or mobile GPS data into a rough geo-location, allowing us to use this information to improve and personalise our services for you.  

Unsubscribing from Receiving Communication

You can unsubscribe from receiving communications from us at any time.  Simply click on the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of any email received from us.  

Third-party disclosure and links

1. Disclosure. We do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer to outside parties your personal information.
2. Links on our website. Our website may include links to other applications or third party websites which do not fall under our control. We cannot accept any responsibility for your privacy or the content of these applications, but we display these links in order to make it easier for our visitors to find information about specific subjects.
3. Social Media. Our website may connect to various social media sites or applications, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram If you want to use our website for social media integration, including to create user profiles and login functionality, we will share your information with the relevant social media sites or applications.

Changes to this policy.

 Unless notice is required in terms of the law, we may change the terms of this policy from time to time in line with any changes that the law or our internal business operations require, without prior notice. The current version of this policy that applies at the time you visit and/or use our website will regulate our relationship. It is your responsibility to consider the policy each time you use our website. If you do not agree with any terms of this policy, you must stop using our website.

Contacting Us

If there are any questions regarding this privacy policy, you may contact us using the information below.

Physical Address: 

SMART Zambia Institute,

Office of the President,

E-Government Division

Government Complex, Lusaka

E-mail: info@szi.gov.zm