President William Ruto has nominated Lydia Sitienei Chelagat, an experienced lawyer and corporate governance specialist, to lead the country’s data protection regulator.
Chelagat, who currently serves as the Director of Legal Services and Corporate Secretary at the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), is expected to succeed Immaculate Kassait, whose six-year tenure as Kenya’s inaugural Data Commissioner is coming to an end.
Her nomination, announced on Monday, November 9, 2026, followed a recommendation by the Public Service Commission (PSC) and has been forwarded to the National Assembly for consideration.
If approved, Chelagat will take charge of the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC), an institution responsible for enforcing data protection laws and safeguarding personal information held by public and private organisations.
Lydia Sitienei Chelagat’s Career Journey
Chelagat has more than 15 years of professional experience in legal practice, corporate governance and regulatory affairs, with a specialisation in the financial, pensions and energy sectors.
She joined the Communications Authority of Kenya on December 1, 2023, as Director of Legal Services and Corporate Secretary, a position she continues to hold.
Before joining the communications regulator, she worked at the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Limited (KETRACO), where she spent more than six years handling legal and corporate governance responsibilities.
Lydia Sitienei joined KETRACO in August 2017 as Manager of Legal Services, Commercial Compliance and Secretariat, serving in the position until July 2021.
In July 2021, she was elevated to Company Secretary and General Manager of Legal Services, a position she held until December 2023.
During her time at the electricity transmission company, she handled legal and regulatory matters related to major infrastructure projects and regional electricity cooperation.
Her experience also includes cross-border negotiations and bilateral agreements within the East African Community (EAC), particularly those involving electricity transmission infrastructure.
Before joining KETRACO, Chelagat worked at CPF Financial Services, formerly associated with LAPTRUST, where she served as Group Company Secretary and Legal Services Manager between January 2013 and July 2017.
Lydia Sitienei had initially joined the organisation in January 2012 as a Senior Legal Officer.
Her responsibilities included advising on legal matters, reviewing commercial agreements, managing litigation, overseeing regulatory compliance and providing company secretarial services to CPF and its affiliated entities.
She also participated in management and strategic planning meetings and served on several committees, including the Risk Management, Tender and Staff Disciplinary committees.
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Her Role in Regional Integration Projects
Beyond her corporate responsibilities, Chelagat has been involved in regional integration initiatives within East Africa.
She has served as an expert adviser on the East African Community’s insurance and pensions sector integration programme, which seeks to harmonise systems and facilitate the portability of benefits across member states.
She has also contributed to initiatives under the Northern Corridor Integration Project involving Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.
In the energy sector, her experience includes the Eastern Electricity Highway Interconnector Project, which involves Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania under the East Africa Power Pool.
Her involvement in these initiatives has centred on legal frameworks, negotiations, regulatory cooperation and agreements supporting regional infrastructure and economic integration.
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Lydia Sitienei Chelagat’s Education and Qualifications
Chelagat holds a Master of Public Policy and Management from Strathmore University Business School, where she studied between September 2017 and December 2020.
She also holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Buckingham in the United Kingdom, which she obtained between 2002 and 2005.
She subsequently completed her Postgraduate Diploma in Law at the Kenya School of Law between 2006 and 2008.
Her professional qualifications include Certified Public Secretary (CPS-K) and Accredited Governance Auditor.
She has also undertaken executive and professional training programmes at several international institutions, including New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, IESE Business School and China Europe International Business School (CEIBS).
At Strathmore Business School, she also undertook an Advanced Management Programme.
Chelagat is a member of several professional organisations, including the Institute of Certified Secretaries of Kenya, the Law Society of Kenya, the Institute of Directors Kenya, the East Africa Law Society, and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Kenya Chapter.
What Awaits Her if Parliament Approves the Nomination?
If Parliament approves her nomination, Chelagat will head the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, which oversees the implementation and enforcement of the Data Protection Act.
The office regulates how organisations collect, process, store and use personal information.
It also investigates complaints involving violations of data protection rights, monitors compliance by data controllers and processors and takes enforcement action against organisations that breach the law.
The Data Commissioner serves a single, non-renewable six-year term.
Chelagat’s nomination comes at a time when data protection has become increasingly important as government agencies, businesses and other institutions expand their use of digital platforms and personal information.
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