NAIROBI, Kenya, October 3 – Data Commissioner Immaculate Kassait, MBS has stressed the importance of balancing security, privacy, and digital transformation as societies rapidly adapt to digital changes.

Speaking at the Smart Government 2024 Summit, themed “Harnessing the Power of Artificial Intelligence for Transformative Change,” the Data Commissioner urged ICT stakeholders to prioritize individual rights and address concerns like reporting data breaches within 72 hours to minimise harm to data subjects.

“It’s crucial for organizations to adopt data protection principles and ensure they have a lawful basis for processing personal data, along with conducting risk assessments for sensitive operations,” she stated.

She highlighted data sharing as a key privacy issue and noted that the office is developing a data-sharing code to facilitate seamless access to government services.

While noting that more organizations are embracing compliance, she called on policymakers to consider ethical implications and foster informed public dialogue to guide decisions on data security and privacy.

“We must create frameworks that address emerging technologies, enhance transparency in data practices, and implement privacy measures,” she added.

Deputy Data Commissioner Rose Mosero HSC, FIP also participated in a panel on data sovereignty in the cloud, highlighting the importance of nonexclusive data localization provisions for strategic state interests. These provisions ensure callability, accessibility, and service continuity while simplifying compliance and auditability.

She clarified that data sovereignty is fundamentally linked to state control and access, especially when data isn’t localized. Additionally, “Data sovereignty should be viewed as a state-to-state function, requiring mutual agreements on policies, laws, and safeguards to build trust,” she stated. “It’s also crucial to have clear policies on data sovereignty that touch on data embassies as we explore cloud solutions for service delivery,” she added.