KCB Bank Group is mourning the death of its Head of Data Protection, Rosemary Koech Kimwatu, whose death has drawn attention to her private struggles after reports emerged that she had been battling depression.
Kimwatu died at her home in Ngong on Friday, August 21, 2026, leaving behind four children.
The Kenyan Daily Post reports that the senior KCB official had recently celebrated her 40th birthday and had been struggling with depression. The publication also reports that she was dealing with family-related challenges.
The circumstances surrounding her death have not, however, been publicly detailed by her family.
The late KCB employee Rosemary Koech. Photo/Screengrab
A distinguished career
Kimwatu was a prominent figure in Kenya’s technology, legal, fintech and data protection sectors, having built a career spanning nearly two decades.
She joined KCB Bank Group in June 2022 as a Data Protection Officer after working at Safaricom as a Public Policy Manager.
In June 2023, she was promoted to Head of Data Protection, taking on responsibility for data protection compliance and governance across the banking group’s operations.
Her professional background also included senior legal and regulatory roles at fintech companies WayaWaya and MODE, as well as work in public policy and technology.
Her contribution beyond KCB
Kimwatu’s influence extended well beyond her role at the bank.
She served on the Board of Trustees of the Kenya ICT Action Network, KICTANet, and held several positions within Kenya’s technology and internet governance community.
KICTANet described her as a champion of privacy and data governance and remembered her for her contribution to technology policy, internet governance and digital rights.
The late KCB data head Rosemary Koech. Photo/Screengrab
She also served as Principal of the Kenya School of Internet Governance and chaired multistakeholder advisory groups connected to the Kenya Internet Governance Forum and East Africa Internet Governance Forum.
Reports of a private struggle
While Kimwatu was widely known professionally for her work in data protection, the latest reports have brought attention to challenges she was reportedly facing away from the public eye.
The Kenyan Daily Post says she had been battling depression and dealing with family issues before her death. It also reports that she had been separated from her husband.
Those details have not been independently confirmed by her family or KCB, and should therefore be treated as reports rather than established facts.
Her death has nonetheless renewed conversations about mental health, particularly among professionals working in high-pressure corporate environments.
Tributes pour in
News of Kimwatu’s death has prompted tributes from Kenya’s technology and digital rights community.
KICTANet described her as a valued trustee, colleague, mentor and friend, highlighting her dedication to technology policy, internet governance and digital rights.
A building entrance with KCB Group signage. Photo: The Star Source: Facebook
The organisation said she brought expertise, energy, warmth and humour to her work and had played an important role in building Kenya’s digital policy community.
Her death has left colleagues across banking, technology, law and digital policy mourning a professional whose career was closely associated with Kenya’s evolving data protection landscape.
Kimwatu’s family has asked the public to keep her four children in their thoughts and prayers as they come to terms with the loss.