This page was built because of you. A tenant raised exactly the right questions — about data protection, credentials, and trust. We take that seriously. Here are honest, direct answers to the questions tenants most commonly ask.
1 What is Makeja Homes?
Who built this and who controls my data?
Makeja Homes is a Kenyan property management platform built and operated by Shannara Global Agencies, founded by Levis Kibirie and Angela Wangui (Co-Founders). Your landlord or property management company subscribes to our platform to manage their portfolio. We are the data processor — your landlord is the data controller for your tenancy records. We never own, sell, or profit from your personal data.
Why does the system need my ID number and email?
Your National ID number is required to: (1) verify your identity for digital lease signing — the same reason a paper lease would require your ID, and (2) comply with KRA regulations for rental income reporting. Your email address is mandatory — it is your login credential for the tenant portal, and the address where receipts, lease documents, and important tenancy alerts are delivered. We do not use it for marketing without your explicit consent.
You already have my phone number. Why do you need more?
Your phone number was shared by your landlord to set up your account — it is used for M-Pesa payment matching. Your email address is mandatory to create your tenant portal account: it is your login credential and the address where receipts, lease documents, and important alerts are delivered. Your national ID is required for digital lease signing under Kenyan tenancy law. None of these details are shared with third parties for commercial purposes.
Is this system secure? Who can see my data?
Your data is stored in an isolated, encrypted database on Neon PostgreSQL (hosted in AWS EU data centres with SOC 2 Type II certification). Each property company's data is completely separated — your landlord's other tenants cannot see your records, and other property companies on the platform cannot see anything at all. Access is role-controlled: only your property's authorised staff (admin, manager) can view your profile. All connections use TLS 1.3 encryption. Passwords are hashed with bcrypt (industry standard). We log all access to your records in a tamper-evident audit trail.
Does Makeja Homes sell my data to third parties?
No. Never. We do not sell, rent, trade, or share your personal data with any third party for commercial purposes. The only third-party systems your data touches are: Safaricom M-Pesa (for payment processing), Paystack (if you pay by card), and Nodemailer/SMTP (to send your email receipts). All three are engaged under strict data processing agreements.
What are my legal rights over my own data?
Under the
Kenya Data Protection Act 2019, you have the right to: (1)
Access — request a copy of all data we hold on you, (2)
Rectification — correct any inaccurate information, (3)
Erasure — request deletion of your data after your tenancy ends, (4)
Object — object to any processing you did not consent to, (5)
Portability — receive your data in a machine-readable format. To exercise any of these rights, email
levis@makejahomes.co.ke.
What happens to my data when I vacate?
When your tenancy ends: your active account is deactivated (you can no longer log in), your payment history is retained for 7 years as required by Kenyan financial regulations, your personal profile data is anonymised after 12 months unless you or your landlord requests earlier deletion. You can download all your records (receipts, lease, payment history) before vacating from your tenant dashboard.
Can I report a data protection concern?