NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 25- Hundreds of Kenyans have lodged a complaint with the Data Protection Commissioner’s office after being registered as members of various political parties without their knowledge.
Already, the Commission is seeking to address their grievances in liaison with the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties.
The Commission is seeking to establish how the illegality was committed and have already agreed together with the registrar of political parties to have the names of those wrongfully registered to be struck off from the list of the aforementioned political parties.
In a statement, Commissioner Immaculate Kassait said aggrieved individuals have already lodged their complaints with her office and the matter is under review.
She said that her office will continue to engage with the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties, Political Parties and other Data Controllers and Processors to ensure compliance with the Data Protection Act, 2019.
“This office notes that the effective implementation of the Data Protection laws is a key step towards ensuring that Kenya has a robust, thriving and secure digital economy,” she said.
Meanwhile, she revealed that her office is set to embark on an awareness campaign and development of the sector specific guidelines in consultation with Data Controllers and Data Processors.
“The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner acknowledges those who have already taken action to exercise their rights under the Act, by filing a complaint form,” she said but called for patience from those aggrieved.
Further, she assured the public that she was taking the necessary steps to ensure that the rights of data subjects pursuant to the Act are respected and protected.
The revelation was made during a move by the Registrar of Political Parties unveiling a portal that showed the political parties some Kenyans are registered to.
A section of Kenyans raised concerns following revelations that they had been registered as members of various political parties without their knowledge.
They confirmed their membership status through an online portal on e-Citizen, a one-stop shop for government services, shared out by the office of Registrar of Political Parties.
“Recruitment of members is done by political parties in line with respective party constitutions; section 7, Political Parties Act, 2011, second schedule to Political Parties Act paragraph six,” the office said after the details emerged.
On June 18, the Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu said her office was piloting the online service to enable the public to verify their political party membership status.
“This is therefore to appraise you on this development and invite your feedback through info@orpp.or.ke or to our offices,” Nderitu said.
She added the office is planning to enhance other services including the management of independent candidates, party membership recruitment and registration.
“This office is in the process of updating the political parties’ management information system and on boarding services to e-Citizen platform to leverage on the existing infrastructure,” she added.
Among others, Raila Junior has written to Nderitu demanding the removal of his name from the membership list of the ANC Party.
This is after he discovered that he was a member of the ANC party without his consent.
Through Rachier and Amollo Advocates LLP, the son of ODM leader Raila Odinga instructed the ORPP to expunge his name from the ANC party list within 24 hours after receiving the demand letter.
“We thus have instructions to Demand that your office rectifies your records specifically by deleting our client’s details from the ANC Party membership list, and properly listing him as a member of the ODM party immediately and in any event within twenty-four hours from receipt of this letter, and thereafter confirm the rectification to us in writing,” the demand letter read in part.
Raila Junior said he did not present himself or consent to his registration as an ANC party member.
He said he has been a life member of the ODM party, saying his registration as a member of the ANC party violated his political rights as enshrined in the Constitution.
“Our client protests the violation of his privacy and irregular and erroneous use of his personal data on your platform without his consent. Your erroneous registration data, therefore, violates his political rights under article 81 of the Constitution and the Political Parties Act,” reads a section of his demand letter.
Raila Junior further urged the ORPP to verify the lists of members of a political party before publicizing the same given that it is their duty under section 34 (d) of the Political Parties Act.
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