Here is the updated Privacy Policy tailored specifically for Sambie Ride in accordance with Ethiopian law—most notably the Data Protection Proclamation No. 1321/2024 (and the FDRE Constitution Article 26), localized identity requirements, and domestic payment options.
Effective Date: July 22, 2026
Last Updated: July 22, 2026
At Sambie Ride (“Sambie,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), we are committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, process, share, and safeguard your personal information when you use our mobile applications, websites, call center services, and other ride-hailing features (collectively, the “Sambie Ride Platform”).
This Privacy Policy is formulated in accordance with the laws of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, including the Data Protection Proclamation No. 1321/2024 and relevant regulations established by the Ethiopian Communications Authority (ECA) and the Ministry of Innovation and Technology (MInT).
This policy applies to all users of the Sambie Ride Platform within Ethiopia, including:
Riders: Individuals who request or receive transportation services.
Drivers: Individuals who provide, or apply to provide, transportation services independently or via vehicle fleets.
Call Center Users: Individuals who request rides via our telephone dispatch operators.
Your use of the Sambie Ride Platform is also subject to our Terms of Service.
We collect personal data that you provide directly, data generated during your use of our services, and data obtained from authorized Ethiopian third-party sources.
Account Registration (Riders & Drivers): Full name, primary mobile phone number, email address, profile picture, preferred language (e.g., Amharic, Afaan Oromoo, Tigrinya, English), and saved locations (e.g., Home, Work).
Driver Application & Verification Data:
Government-issued identification (National ID / Fayda, Kebele ID, or Passport number and copies).
Valid Driver’s License details.
Vehicle documentation (Libre / Vehicle Registration Certificate, Commercial Taxi License, inspection records, and third-party insurance certificate).
Bank account details (e.g., Commercial Bank of Ethiopia, Awash Bank) or mobile wallet account details for payout processing.
Recent clear headshot/profile photograph for identity verification.
Emergency (SOS) Contacts: If you choose to enable the emergency feature, the app accesses your device’s address book locally so you can select trusted emergency contacts.
Note on Address Book & SOS Access: Contact data is accessed locally on your device only when you configure or trigger the SOS feature. We do not upload your full address book to our servers or share it with third parties.
Ratings & Feedback: Comments, reviews, ratings, and incident reports submitted regarding Drivers or Riders.
Precise Location Data (GPS & Network Data):
Riders: We collect precise location data when the app is running in the foreground or background from the time a ride is requested until it is completed.
Drivers: We collect precise location data whenever the app is in "Driver Mode" (foreground and background), and for a limited period after exiting Driver Mode to resolve route anomalies or safety incidents.
Trip & Transactional Information: Pickup/drop-off points, distance traveled, route taken, fare calculated, time stamp, promo code utilization, and payment method used (e.g., Telebirr, CBE Birr, Chapa, cash).
Device & Technical Data: Device model, IP address, operating system version, mobile network carrier (e.g., Ethio Telecom, Safaricom Ethiopia), device language, push notification tokens, and mobile sensor data (accelerometer/gyroscope data for driver safety monitoring).
In-App & Masked Communications: We collect timestamps, delivery statuses, and logs of phone calls or SMS messages initiated through our masked call feature between Riders and Drivers. Calls may be recorded for safety and quality assurance with prior audible notice.
Verification & Background Checks: Verification of driver identity and vehicle eligibility through relevant Ethiopian government authorities (e.g., Ministry of Transport and Logistics, Federal Police Commission, or local sub-city traffic departments).
Payment Gateways: Transaction confirmation tokens from authorized financial institutions and mobile money providers (e.g., Telebirr, CBE, local payment gateways).
Enterprise & Corporate Partners: Information provided by employers or third parties booking trips on your behalf via Sambie Corporate accounts.
In compliance with Ethiopian data protection principles, we process your personal data under the legal bases of contractual necessity, legal obligation, legitimate business interest, and explicit consent. We use your information to:
Provide and Operate Services:
Match Riders with nearby Drivers.
Calculate ride fares based on distance, time, traffic, and applicable rates.
Process payments securely via cash or integrated digital payment solutions (e.g., Telebirr, CBE Birr, local banks).
Dispatch rides ordered via our telephone call centers.
Ensure Safety, Security, and Fraud Prevention:
Verify Driver and vehicle authenticity prior to activation.
Monitor real-time trip routes to detect unexpected stops, deviations, or emergencies.
Enable the in-app SOS Safety Button to notify designated contacts or emergency responders.
Prevent fraudulent account creation, unpaid fares, or system abuse.
Customer Support & Dispute Resolution:
Investigate traffic incidents, lost property, fare disputes, or misconduct.
Provide continuous customer assistance via our local support channels.
Regulatory & Legal Compliance:
Comply with tax reporting obligations mandated by the Ministry of Revenues.
Cooperate with lawful requests from Ethiopian law enforcement agencies, traffic police, or judicial bodies under valid court orders or legal procedures.
We do not sell your personal data. We share your information strictly as described below:
Rider Information Shared with Driver: Rider’s first name, pickup location, real-time map location, destination, profile rating, and optional pickup instructions.
Driver Information Shared with Rider: Driver’s full name, profile photo, rating, vehicle make/model/color, license plate number, and real-time vehicle location.
Phone numbers are masked when using the in-app call or text feature to protect the privacy of both parties.
We share relevant data with trusted third-party vendors operating on our behalf:
Payment Processors: Mobile money providers (Ethio Telecom / Telebirr, Safaricom M-PESA) and licensed commercial banks to process driver payouts and rider digital payments.
Cloud & Infrastructure Providers: Secure hosting servers maintaining strict data encryption standards.
SMS & Communication Gateways: Telecom aggregators for sending OTP verification codes and trip updates.
We may disclose personal data to law enforcement, government officials, or statutory bodies in Ethiopia if required by law or if we reasonably believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to:
Comply with Ethiopian federal or regional laws, regulations, or court orders.
Assist law enforcement during criminal investigations, accident reports, or missing person cases.
Protect the rights, safety, or property of Sambie Ride, our users, or the general public.
Storage & Encryption: Your data is stored on secure servers utilizing industry-standard encryption protocols (TLS/SSL in transit, AES-256 at rest) to protect against unauthorized access, loss, or disclosure.
Data Residency: Where required by Ethiopian telecommunications and data regulations, local operational and transactional records are retained within secure domestic databases or compliant cloud infrastructure.
Retention Period: We retain account information as long as your account remains active. Transactional, financial, and ride logs are retained for a minimum of 7 (seven) years to satisfy legal, tax, and audit obligations under Ethiopian accounting standards.
Under Ethiopian data protection framework, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:
Access & Portability: You may request a copy of the personal information Sambie Ride holds about you.
Correction & Update: You can update or correct your profile details directly within the app settings or by contacting customer support.
Account Deletion: You have the right to request the deletion of your Sambie Ride account at any time via the app settings or by submitting a request to our privacy team. Upon deletion:
We will deactivate your profile.
Certain data may be retained if required by law, open disputes, unsettled debts, or unresolved safety investigations.
Marketing Opt-Out: You can unsubscribe from promotional SMS or push notifications by following the instructions in the message or adjusting your device preferences. Operational/transactional communications (e.g., OTPs, ride receipts) will still be sent.
The Sambie Ride Platform is not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from minors. If we learn that a user under 18 has registered an account without parental or legal guardian consent, we will promptly deactivate the account and erase the associated data.
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our services, local laws, or technological standards. When material updates are made, we will notify you through the Sambie Ride app, SMS, or our official website prior to the changes taking effect. Continued use of the platform after notice constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact our Data Protection Officer:
Entity: Sambie Ride Systems / Sambie Transport Technologies
Address: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Customer Support Line: [Insert Shortcode / Phone Number, e.g., 8000]
Email: support@sambieride.com / privacy@sambieride.com
Website: www.sambieride.com