Listen to This Article Enhance your reading experience by listening to this article.

Former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) director of voter registration and election operations Immaculate Kassait now awaits formal appointment by President Uhuru Kenyatta after legislators approved her nomination.

In a unanimous decision, the MPs said issues surrounding IEBC should not be used to block her from getting the position as she is not to blame for the 2017 General Elections.

The legislators were of the view that any blame should be laid squarely on IEBC and not individual persons.

Led by departmental committee on Communications, Information and Innovations chairperson and Marakwet West MP William Kissang, MPs Aden Duale (Garissa Township), Anthony Aluoch (Mathare), Fatuma Gedi (Isiolo Woman Representative), Lilian Gogo (Rangwe), Samuel Atandi (Alego Usonga), Denitah Ghati (Nominated), Owen Baya (Kilifi North), Robert Pukose (Endebess) and Edith Nyenze (Kitui West) said Kassait qualifies to be appointed as the country’s first data commissioner.

 Kissang said Kassait has the right qualifications and experience spanning 17 years to be the country’s data commissioner.

While asking the house to approve her nomination, Kisang told legislators that Kassait had promised to ensure that the data directorate will be operational within one year once she takes over office. 

To make the directorate more independent, Kissang told MPs that his committees will next year table a law to de-link the institution from the Ministry of Information Communication and Technology.