Privacy Policy - Lwazi Technologies

Introduction

Lwazi Technologies Limited, trading as Akiba, respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data.

Akiba is a digital ledger and financial management application designed for Village Savings and Loan Associations, SACCOs, community based financial groups, and their members.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect your information when you use Akiba through our mobile application, web platform, or related services.

By using Akiba, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

Definitions

Personal Data means any information that identifies or relates to an identifiable individual.
Processing means any operation performed on personal data, including collection, recording, storage, use, sharing, or deletion.
User means any individual or organization that uses Akiba, including group leaders, administrators, and members.
Mobile Money Provider means any licensed financial or payment service provider integrated with Akiba to process deposits and withdrawals.

Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of information:

A. Personal Data

Full name
Phone number
Email address
National identification number or other identification details where required
Date of birth where required
Role within a group, such as member, treasurer, or administrator
Profile photo, if provided

B. Financial Data

Savings contributions
Loan amounts and repayment history
Interest calculations and penalties
Account balances
Transaction history within the group
Financial reports generated through the platform

C. Mobile Money Transaction Data

Mobile money account number
Transaction reference numbers
Transaction amounts
Date and time of transactions
Payment confirmations and status

D. Device and Usage Data

Device type and operating system
IP address
App version
Log data and activity within the app
Error reports and diagnostics
Location data where required for fraud prevention or regulatory compliance

E. Communications

Messages sent to customer support
Feedback and survey responses

How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

Create and manage user accounts
Record savings, loans, and repayments
Calculate interest and penalties
Generate financial statements and reports
Facilitate mobile money deposits and withdrawals
Verify identity and prevent fraud
Comply with legal and regulatory obligations
Improve system performance and user experience
Provide customer support
Detect, investigate, and prevent unauthorized or illegal activity

We do not sell your personal data.

Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data based on one or more of the following legal grounds:

Performance of a contract when providing Akiba services
Compliance with legal and regulatory obligations
Legitimate interests, including fraud prevention, system security, and service improvement
Your consent, where required by law

Where processing is based on consent, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.

How We Share Information

We share information only where necessary and in line with applicable law.

A. Mobile Money Providers

We share relevant transaction and identification data with licensed mobile money providers to process deposits, withdrawals, and payment confirmations.

B. Financial and Technology Partners

We may share limited data with payment processors, cloud hosting providers, technology service providers, and auditors and professional advisers. All partners are required to protect your data and process it only for specified purposes.

C. Regulators and Authorities

We may disclose information to regulators, law enforcement, courts, or other authorities where required by law or to comply with financial regulations, anti money laundering obligations, or fraud investigations.

D. Business Transfers

If Lwazi Technologies undergoes a merger, acquisition, or restructuring, your data may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to confidentiality safeguards.

Data Retention

We retain personal and financial data for as long as necessary to:

Provide services to you
Comply with legal and regulatory requirements
Resolve disputes
Enforce our agreements

Retention periods may vary depending on local financial and data protection laws. When data is no longer required, we securely delete or anonymize it.

Data Security

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

Encryption of sensitive data in transit and at rest
Secure authentication and role based access controls
Monitoring and logging of system activity
Regular security testing and updates
Staff training on data protection

While we take reasonable steps to protect your information, no system is completely secure.

International Data Transfers

Your information may be stored or processed in countries outside your country of residence. Where we transfer data across borders, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including contractual protections and compliance with applicable data protection laws and GDPR principles.

Your Rights

Subject to applicable law, you have the following rights:

Access

You have the right to request access to the personal data we hold about you.

Correction

You have the right to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.

Deletion

You have the right to request deletion of your personal data, subject to legal and contractual obligations.

Objection

You have the right to object to certain processing activities, including processing based on legitimate interests.

Data Portability

You have the right to request a copy of your personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine readable format.

To exercise your rights, contact us using the details provided below. We may require verification of your identity before responding.

Children's Privacy

Akiba is not intended for children under the age of 18 without the involvement of a legally recognized group or guardian. We do not knowingly collect personal data directly from children without appropriate authorization. If we become aware of unauthorized data collection from a child, we will take steps to delete the information.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies on our website and web platform to:

Maintain secure sessions
Analyze usage and performance
Improve functionality

You may manage cookie preferences through your browser settings. Some features may not function properly if cookies are disabled.

Third Party Links

Akiba may contain links to third party websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or data practices. When we make material changes, we will notify users through the app, website, or other appropriate channels. The updated version will include a revised effective date.