Public institutions have been urged to safeguard personal data collected from individuals as they seek services from them.
Nandi Central Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Saidi Shaaban said since hacking has become a source of income for some individuals, it is important for institutions to protect the data they have by establishing data banks.
“The Constitution of Kenya guarantees every person the right to privacy. It is important that the data we have is protected at all costs,” he said, warning locals to be careful of whom they give personal data to.
The DCC was speaking during a sensitization forum at a Kapsabet hotel that brought together more than 100 people drawn from government institutions, private hospitals, civil society, county government, Banks, youth groups, the matatu sector, religious leaders, and the general public.
Shaaban stated that the sensitization forum will enable data controllers and processors to appreciate their obligations and comply with the law by registering with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC).
The office, which was created in 2020 under the Data Protection Act of 2019, has launched a massive countrywide campaign that seeks to inform members of the public on their rights to data protection.
Among the functions of the commission are regulating the processing of personal data, protecting the privacy of individuals, establishing the legal and institutional mechanisms to protect personal data, and providing data subjects with rights and remedies to protect their personal data from processing that is not in accordance with the Act.
The principal data protection officer in charge of Advocacy and Collaboration at ODPC, Abdullahi Ali, said that as an office, they are out to create awareness and equip the public with knowledge on the mandate and core responsibilities of their office in terms of data protection.
He advised Kenyans to be aware when opening links sent to their smart phones, as they could expose their data.
By Linet Wafula
