Ruto names Kassait's successor as five State Corporation CEOs appointed

President William Ruto has nominated Lydia Sitienei Chelagat to head Kenya’s data protection regulator, paving the way for a leadership change at the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) following the expiry of Immaculate Kassait’s six-year term.

Chelagat’s nomination was announced on Monday, November 9, through a statement issued by Government Spokesperson Charles Owino Wahong'o, who confirmed that her name had been forwarded to the National Assembly for consideration.

The President nominated Chelagat following a recommendation by the Public Service Commission (PSC), in line with the provisions of the Data Protection Act, Cap 411C, which governs the appointment of the head of the ODPC.

If approved by Parliament, Chelagat will take over from Kassait, who was appointed Kenya’s first Data Commissioner in November 2020 following the establishment of the office.

Kassait is exiting the position after completing her six-year non-renewable term, bringing to a close the first leadership tenure of the institution responsible for regulating the use of personal information and protecting the privacy rights of Kenyans.

Her successor will take charge of the office tasked with overseeing how personal data is collected, processed and handled, as well as ensuring compliance with the country's data protection framework.

The nomination was part of a wider announcement in which the government also confirmed five appointments to various state corporations following competitive recruitment exercises conducted by their respective boards.

Waweru Karanja has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Privatization Authority, while Wakhungu Patrick Murunga will take charge of the Regional Centre on Groundwater Resources Education, Training and Research in Eastern Africa (RCGW).

Peninah Wangare Wahome has also been named the new Chief Executive Officer of the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK).

In other appointments, John Washington Agutu has been designated Acting Chief Executive Officer of the National Housing Corporation, while Dr Janerose Omondi will serve in an acting capacity at the Kenya National Entrepreneurs Savings Trust (KNEST).

The government said the appointments were made after competitive recruitment processes undertaken by the respective boards, which were responsible for identifying and selecting candidates to fill the positions.

However, the announcement did not indicate when the newly appointed executives would formally assume their respective roles or disclose the specific terms of their appointments.

Chelagat's nomination now moves to the National Assembly, where lawmakers will consider her suitability for the position before she can be formally appointed as Kenya's next Data Commissioner.