The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) has put in place its first regional Office in Mombasa.
Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo launched the coastal regional office in an elaborate ceremony.
He says the move to set up a regional office helps bring the functions of the ODPC’s office closer to the people.
CS Owalo says the new regional office will serve as a hub for information, guidance, and support for businesses in the coastal region.
Mr. Owalo was accompanied by ICT and the Digital Economy Principal Secretary Eng John Tanui, Konza Technopolis AG CEO John Okwiri, ICT Authority Board Chairman Sylvanus Maritim, and Chair Senate ICT Committee Allan Chesang.
“We welcome all efforts to decentralise and strengthen data privacy and protection in the country,” said Owalo.
He went further, ‘let’s embrace the opportunities of the new digital age while safeguarding the rights and dignity of every citizen’.
Owalo says the government intends to empower the Data Protection Commissioner to be at the heart of the data and digital transformation agenda of the country.
He said public and private entities have a crucial role to play in building a robust data protection ecosystem that guarantees the privacy of individuals and institutions alike.
The CS reiterated the national government’s commitment to protecting Wananchi from the harmful use of data.
Owalo says the country stands at a crossroads between harnessing the value of data for socio-economic development while avoiding its inherent perils.
He says the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2019 gives the ODPC the sole responsibility of overseeing the protection of personal data by both public and private data controllers and processors.
The Data Protection Act seeks to protect the privacy of individuals and personal data by regulating the processing of personal information by data controllers and processors.
Owalo says the ODPC office is crucial at a time when more and more Kenyans are using digital devices to access digital services as well as to use them for socio-economic activities.
“In this era of rapid technological advancement, it is impossible to overstate the critical role of the ODPC,” he said, adding that Kenya is ahead of its peers in the digital revolution.
“The digital economy is bringing people closer but also exposing them to new vulnerabilities,” he said, adding that ODPC must ensure the rights of individuals and institutions are upheld and handled responsibly and ethically.
PS Tanui says the ICT authority is ensuring Kenyans have access to the potential of digital technology, such as broadband access, no matter where they reside in the country.
He says the government has plans to deploy 100,000 kilometres of fibre-optic infrastructure across the country to enable Kenyans to benefit from the digital revolution.
Data Commissioner Immaculate Kassait says the operationalization of the regional office is part of ODPC’s effort to scale its operations across the country.
Ms. Kassait says the ODPC is championing the protection of information that is collected and used by companies and institutions in the country.
She noted that data is critical in the fourth industrial revolution and that Kenya must not be left behind in the digital revolution.
During the inauguration ceremony, stakeholders commended the ODPC for ordering the cryptocurrency project World Coin to stop signing up new users, citing data privacy concerns.
Last week, the ODPC warned citizens to be cautious about giving their data to private companies.
By Mohamed Hassan
