Three years ago, when I lived in London, I reported for the Kenyalondonnews on how troubled I was about the UK's surveillance on its citizens. When I moved to Kenya, I felt a sudden freedom because I knew that noone was watching my every move. However, is this about to change? 

I keep having flashbacks to London: so here's what I wrote about London (edited to reflect past tense).

If there is one thing the good old United Kingdom taught me was to be extremely paranoid. I was a mess. I suspected that everyone was out to get me. I developed a knack for looking at the finer details in my surroundings and picking out suspicious activities or people. I was convinced that I had become an expert sleuth and could apply for a job with intelligence agencies like the CIA and  M15.

The powers that be cheerfully reminded us through a radio commercial that I was captured on camera on average 300 times a day, making the UK the most watched country in the world, even ahead of the USA which is saying something! Another radio ad managed to make me very jittery, in my own house, telling me that someone might watching me (excuse me for choosing dark unflattering curtains which I kept drawing to make sure there were no ‘holes’) – I know I am no benefit fraudster but some peeping Tom might still have been watching me!

I will attempt to explain here what led to my paranoia. Brace yourself.

As soon as I left home every morning I was greeted by cameras as I lived right next to a bus-stop. And because each bus had security cameras, I would once again be under surveillance! Even if I decided to walk to the tube station I would still find myself watched by security cameras along the way because I lived in a rather notorious street.

Bus stations were surrounded by cameras, and a very loud public announcement reminding everyone that they were constantly being watched for their own safety – well, if you say so! The tubes and trains were no different, neither was the work place or buildings that I might have visited during the day. If I sneaked away from work to go on a shopping spree on the high street I was recorded! Even a quick drink with mates after work to wind down was captured by the pub CCTVs! Public toilets were not safe from the ever watching eyes of the CCTVs. Thankfully, there were no cameras in the toilet cubicles, however, I did hear rumors that some big clothes stores have cameras in their changing rooms to catch shoplifters. Thus began my habit to never try on clothes in stores, a habit I continue to maintain. Instead, I would guess my dress size and try it on at home: if it did not fit, I would then return to the store for an exchange. I am certainly not comfortable at the idea that a pervert would be staring and guessing at my boobs' cup size! Thank you very much! What happened to privacy?

And of course there were the cameras at the ATM and banks. And how can I forget my London Transport travel card that had very personal information including my home address and birthday that were recorded every time I used the card. Every time I touched it on the reader, I might as well have written graffiti saying ‘Ciku was here’!

There was a huge public outcry when we learned that the British government was tracing all calls made on mobile phones. They even had access to our texts (I know, for our safety)! A month or so before that, the government proposed a database that would contain the  DNA of every man,woman or child in the UK, including the DNA of short term visitors and yup, you guessed it, for our own safety! At what point does this ridiculous trend become too much? I am no avid Bible reader, but I do remember something in the book of Revelation about the number of the beast! Could this be it?

There is no denying that there are massive advantages to public surveillance. Many times these cameras deter criminals, and catches many others in action. However, is this the price that we must pay for safety? I feel people are being denied the right to pee on the side street, have a naughty fumble in the car park, scratch their nether regions, and to basically relax without wondering who has their lenses trained on them. I felt like I always had to be impeccably groomed – you know, look good for the camera like I would on the red carpet! For Pete’s sake I even tried to identify which cameras belonged to who! Like I said earlier, these cameras made me paranoid: I constantly looked around to spot the cameras, and wondered about the invisible ones.

Unfortunately, as technology gets better I am afraid that our civil liberties will be squashed. Any chance of going back in time? I doubt it, so for those still living in what they call developing countries, rejoice, and enjoy it while you can, because with the fact that the world is a global village, I suspect soon you will join theUK! Well, I guess Nairobi has taken its baby steps towards this, and I am not exactly amused!