Ruto nominates Data Commissioner as agencies name CEOs
Lydia Sitienei Chelangat. President William Ruto has nominated her for appointment as the new Data Commissioner.
President William Ruto has nominated Lydia Sitienei Chelangat for appointment as the new Data Commissioner, to take over from Immaculate Kassait, whose tenure ends this month.
The President picked Ms Chelangat, who has been director of legal services at the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), forwarding her name for approval by MPs.
“The nomination has been transmitted to the National Assembly for consideration, in fulfilment of the legal requirements set out under the Data Protection Act, Cap 411C, Laws of Kenya,” Government spokesperson Charles Owino said in a communication on Monday.
Upon approval of her appointment by the National Assembly, Ms Chelangat will succeed Ms Kassait, who has led the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) since its inception in 2020.
An advocate of the High Court of Kenya who has previously led legal service departments in Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) and CPF Financial Services, Ms Chelangat is expected to lead the government in data protection efforts, at a time when digital services are growing rapidly across the public and private sectors.
The Data Commissioner role in Kenya is held for a single term of six years without an option for extension, according to the Data Protection Act.
Mr Owino also stated that the boards of five agencies made appointments for chief executive officers (CEO).
They include the Privatisation Authority, which has appointed Mr Waweru Karanja as its new CEO and the National Housing Corporation (NHC), which has picked Mr John Washington Agutu.
Mr Karanja has been the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra’s) deputy director of Economic Regulation and will now take charge of the Privatisation Authority, the agency at the centre of decisions preceding privatisation of State assets.
Mr Agutu will take over from David Mathu at the helm of NHC, which has been key in the implementation of some of the government’s affordable housing.
The board of the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (Adak) has also appointed Peninah Wangare Wahome as its substantive CEO, after acting in the position for nearly two years.
Ms Wahome was appointed as Adak’s acting CEO in December 2024 when her predecessor, Sarah Shibutse, was suspended for alleged procurement irregularities at the agency, including authorising unsupported payments.
The Kenya National Entrepreneurs Savings Trust (KNEST) also appointed Dr Janerose Omondi as Acting CEO, taking charge of the informal sector pension scheme started by the government to accommodate the needs of informal sector workers.
Since its establishment in 2021, KNEST has been largely dormant and this appointment is expected to catalyse its operations.
Follow ourWhatsApp channel for breaking news updates and more stories like this.
