Information Communication and Technology (ICT) Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru has revealed that the position of Data Commissioner will be filled in two weeks time.
The person will be responsible for the enforcement of the Data Protection Act with duties such as exercising oversight on data processing operations, promoting self-regulation among data controllers, promoting international cooperation in data protection related issues and conducting research on data processing development.
“Data protection law is already in place. We shall be employing a commissioner in two weeks time,” Mucheru said. “Our goal is to protect people’s privacy.”
The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner is very important to the country especially in this digital era. It was established under section 5 of the Data Protection Act 2019, which President Uhuru Kenyatta signed into law in November last year.
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The Public Service Commission sent out the declaration to fill the office of the Data Commissioner a few months back. The application deadline was on April 14.
The qualifications sent out as requirements the data commissioner include a degree in Data Science/Law/IT or any related field, a Masters Degree, have knowledge and relevant experience of not less than 10 years and meet the requirements of chapter six of the constitution which is about leadership and integrity.
The office will also be charged with conducting assessment to ascertain that data is processed under the provisions of the act and carrying out inspections on public data.
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