A group of professionals who attended training sessions at the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) have come forward to raise concerns over what they describe as an alarming lack of follow-through in the issuance of training certificates, nearly a year after completing the program.
The participants, many of whom are Heads of Department from various organizations, attended a formal Data Protection Training at the ODPC’s offices located at Britam Tower in 2023. Britam Tower in Upper Hill, Nairobi, a modern glass skyscraper housing the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner on the 12th and 13th floors.
The training, which was organized by the government entity mandated to oversee personal data regulation and compliance in Kenya, was expected to culminate in the issuance of formal certification, a crucial document needed for professional advancement and regulatory compliance.
However, almost a year later, not a single certificate has been issued.
Multiple follow-up efforts by both organizations and individuals have reportedly been met with silence, vague reassurances, or redirection.
Participants have been repeatedly asked to send emails, which then go unanswered.
Others claim to have been referred to different ODPC staff members in a loop of bureaucratic inaction that has produced no tangible results.
Insiders familiar with the situation say that this is not an isolated oversight but part of a wider issue dating back to at least 2023.
It is alleged that the ODPC has, for over a year, consistently conducted training sessions without issuing certificates to any of the trainees, reportedly due to internal "laxity" and failure to streamline post-training processes. Data Commissioner Immaculate Kassait as her office is accused of failing to issue training certificates nearly a year after conducting official sessions
This situation presents a troubling contradiction for a government agency charged with enforcing accountability, transparency, and legal compliance in the handling of data.
Without the necessary certification, professionals are left in a difficult position, unable to validate their credentials or demonstrate their compliance with data handling protocols as required under the Data Protection Act.
There is mounting concern that the ODPC should not be allowed to continue conducting new training programs while it has yet to fulfill its obligations to past participants.
Some affected participants, such as the one who reached out to us below, argue that until the backlog of unissued certificates is resolved, the agency lacks the moral authority to expand its training activities. "Hey Cyprian. I would like to highlight an issue with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC). Together with other Heads of Department in my organisation, we attended a Data Protection Training last year in their offices at Britam Towers, but close to a year now we have not received our certificates. We have tried following up collectively as an organisation and as individuals, but they keep tossing us left, right and centre. We are asked to write emails which don't get responded to. While in the process of following up, a staff member mentions that trainings have been taking place, but since about 2023 they have not issued any certificates to trainees due to "laxity". Data protection is a crucial part of conducting business. Currently, it is a requirement for some job opportunities. When asked to prove, where do you start? It is wrong for such a crucial government entity to undertake trainings without any form of accountability. They should stop further trainings until they have cleared the backlog of issuing certificates to previous participants."