Mombasa: Data Protection Commissioner Immaculate Kassait has emphasized the need for robust data privacy measures in electoral processes as the country prepares for the 2027 General Election. Speaking to reporters on the second day of the annual Data Protection Conference at Pride Inn Paradise resort, Kassait highlighted several regulatory interventions aimed at safeguarding citizen data during elections, including comprehensive audits of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and the Registrar of Political Parties.

According to Kenya News Agency, Kassait stated that as a regulator, guidance notes for electoral processes have been issued and audits are being conducted to identify gaps as the nation moves towards elections. She added that capacity building for electoral institutions remains a priority. The Commissioner revealed that her office has completed an audit of the Registrar of Political Parties and continues to provide ongoing capacity building on data protection compliance. She noted the encouragement given to political parties to register as data controllers and processors due to the significant amount of information they collect from citizens.

Kenya Broadcasting Corporation Chief Executive Officer Agnes Kalekye emphasized the media's dual responsibility of informing the public while protecting privacy. She mentioned that KBC balances two vital roles: informing the public and protecting their privacy, with the conference aiding in refining that balance through sharing experiences with IEBC on compliance and working with the Data Protection Office to ensure data security.

Kalekye disclosed that the corporation is investing in artificial intelligence tools to verify information from the public, particularly in the era of widespread social media use. She stated that AI tools are being deployed to verify videos and audio content from the public, ensuring that information disseminated is verified and authentic to protect the public. Kalekye added that KBC is also training journalists on handling private data to ensure citizens feel protected when sharing information with the media.