President Uhuru Kenyatta has nominated former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) director Immaculate Kassait as Kenya’s first Data Commissioner.
Her nomination is in accordance with the provisions of section 6(4) of the Data Protection Act, 2019, as read together with section 5 (1) of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, 2011.
Kassait served as Director of Voter Education Partnership and Communication at IEBC since 2019.
Previously she was the Director Voter Registration and Electoral Operation for 9 years. She has worked at the Institute for Education in Democracy (IED) a leading NGO in the areas of elections in Kenya and the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA Kenya) as a Programme Officer in the Women’s Rights and Advocacy Programme.
If approved by Parliament, she will serve for a single term of six (6) years and shall not be eligible for a re-appointment.
Parliament’s Departmental Committee on Communication, Information, and Innovation is required within 14 days to consider the nominee and table its report. However, it can seek an extension of time for consideration of the nominee in accordance with the provisions of section 13(1) of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, 2011.
The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner is an office established by section 5 (i) of the Data Protection Act, 2019.
It is designated as a State Office in accordance with Article 260 (q) of the Constitution.
According to the law, “The Data Protection Commissioner is obligated to implement the Act, establish and maintain a register of data controllers and data processors, exercising oversight on data processing operations and receiving/ investigating any complaint by any person on infringement of the rights under the Act.”
