MamaRide Privacy Policy

At MamaRide, we are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your data when you use our ride-hailing services.

1. Information We Collect

We collect information that helps us provide and improve our services:

Personal Information

• Account information (name, email, phone number)
• Payment information (M-Pesa details, card information)
• Profile photo (optional)
• Date of birth (to verify age requirements)

Usage and Technical Information

• Ride details (pickup/dropoff locations, times, routes)
• Device information (device type, operating system)
• Location data (with your permission)
• App usage statistics and preferences

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information for the following purposes:

• To provide, maintain, and improve our services
• To process payments and send receipts
• To verify driver and rider identities
• To facilitate communication between riders and drivers
• To enhance safety features, including the SOS emergency button
• To provide customer support and respond to inquiries
• To send important service updates and notifications
• To analyze usage patterns and improve our app

3. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We respect your privacy and do not sell your personal information to third parties. We may share information in these limited circumstances:

• With drivers to facilitate your ride (name, pickup location, rating)
• With payment processors to complete transactions
• With law enforcement when required by law or to protect safety
• With emergency services when the SOS feature is activated
• With service providers who assist our operations (under strict confidentiality)

4. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data:

• Encryption of sensitive data in transit and at rest
• Regular security assessments and testing
• Access controls limiting who can view user data
• Secure payment processing systems
• Regular training for employees on data protection

5. Your Rights

Under Kenya's Data Protection Act and other applicable laws, you have rights regarding your personal data:

• Access: You can request a copy of your personal data
• Correction: You can update or correct inaccurate information
• Deletion: You can request deletion of your personal data
• Objection: You can object to certain processing activities
• Data Portability: You can request transfer of your data to another service

To exercise these rights, please contact us at privacy@mamaride.co.ke.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes we collected it for, including to satisfy any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.

Ride history is typically retained for 3 years for customer service and legal purposes. Account information is retained while your account remains active.

7. Children's Privacy

Our services are not intended for users under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have collected personal data from a child without verification of parental consent, we take steps to remove that information from our servers.

8. International Data Transfers

As a Kenya-based company, we primarily store and process data within Kenya. In some cases, we may transfer data to other countries, but only to those with adequate data protection laws or with appropriate safeguards in place.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date. We may also provide additional notice via email or in-app notifications for significant changes.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

For general support inquiries, please contact: support@mamaride.co.ke

11. Compliance with Kenyan Law

MamaRide complies with the provisions of the Kenya Data Protection Act, 2019 and guidelines issued by the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC). All collection, storage, and processing of data is conducted in accordance with Kenyan regulations, including:

• Obtaining clear and informed user consent before data collection
• Limiting processing of personal data to the purposes disclosed to the user
• Ensuring data minimization, security, and confidentiality
• Granting users rights of access, rectification, erasure, and objection

Any disputes regarding data protection will be handled under the jurisdiction of Kenyan courts in line with the Data Protection Act.

12. Compliance with African Union Data Protection Laws

As MamaRide operates within Africa, we align with the African Union Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection (Malabo Convention, 2014) and other regional data frameworks. This includes:

• Promoting user data sovereignty and protection within African borders
• Preventing unlawful cross-border transfers of data without adequate safeguards
• Encouraging regional cooperation for cybercrime prevention and data privacy

13. Google Play Store & Third-Party Disclosures

In compliance with Google Play Developer Program Policies and the Google Play Data Safety Section, we disclose how user data may be accessed or shared:

• App usage statistics may be shared with Google Analytics or Firebase for performance monitoring
• Crash reports may be sent automatically to Google or third-party services to improve stability
• Payment transactions processed via M-Pesa, card providers, or third-party gateways may involve data exchange with regulated financial service providers

We do not sell personal information, but certain anonymized data may be used for improving services and compliance reporting.

14. Risks & User Responsibilities

While MamaRide implements strong data protection measures, users should be aware of potential risks:

• Unauthorized access to personal data due to weak device security or lost credentials
• Exposure of location data to third parties through ride-sharing or linked services
• Data interception in case of insecure internet connections
• Cross-border risks when data is stored in jurisdictions with weaker privacy laws

We advise all users to keep their devices updated, use strong passwords, and avoid sharing account details.

15. Consent & Withdrawal

By using MamaRide, you consent to the collection and processing of your data as outlined in this policy. You may withdraw your consent at any time by:

• Deleting your account within the app
• Requesting data deletion through privacy@mamaride.co.ke

Withdrawal of consent may affect our ability to provide certain services.