The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner Immaculate Kassait has joined the list of organizations in Kenya that have leapt onto the integration of artificial intelligence into their operations.
During The Data Privacy Day 2024, marked in Kisumu City on January 26, ICT CS Eliud Owalo presided over the launch of the AI chatbot designed to enlighten the public on data protection and privacy rights.
This tool is aimed at ensuring Kenyans receive reliable and accessible information and are well-informed about their data rights.
In a strategic move to expand its reach, the ODPC has also opened new offices in Kisumu.
This significant expansion, following the launch of offices in Mombasa and Nairobi, represents a commitment to making data protection services more accessible across the country.
"This will not only bring data protection services closer to mwananchi but also strengthen the office's capacity to implement its mandate in line with the government's Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda," Kassait said.
The ODPC also announced that Kenya secured the bid to host the 2024 Network of African Data Protection Authorities (NADPA) AGM in Nairobi.
This prestigious event will see data protection authorities from across Africa converge in Nairobi, a testament to Kenya's growing influence in the data protection arena.
The ODPC's proactive approach to regulating data protection has led to the registration of over 3,000 data controllers and processors, demonstrating a robust compliance environment.
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The Complaints, Investigation, and Enforcement department have been instrumental in resolving thousands of complaints, underscoring the ODPC's commitment to upholding data rights.
Looking ahead to 2023/2024, the ODPC in Kenya is setting its sights high with a series of ambitious initiatives.
Central to their plans is the issuance of all required advisories upon request and the thorough review of Data Protection Impact Assessments.
Training will be ramped up, targeting over 3,000 data controllers and processors to elevate awareness and ensure compliance.