Dr. Dinah J.C. Mwinzi, CBS

Chairperson of the University Council

Dr. Dinah Mwinzi holds a PhD in Education Communication from Moi University, a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) in Philosophy & Religion from Moi University. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education (Arts) from Kenyatta University and a Postgraduate Diploma in Leadership Development in ICT & Knowledge Society from Dublin City University, Ireland.

She has served in various leadership positions regionally and nationally. Currently, she is the President at Rafiki Ya Maisha Kenya, a local CBO that champions the development of TVET in Kenya.

Dr. Mwinzi has also served as Principal Secretary, of Vocational and Technical Training, and a Director at TVETA, KNQA, EASEN, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (Youth training), and E-learning Africa. Other appointments include: Immediate former Chairperson, Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI), Vice-Chancellor of KAG East University, Nairobi and member, Board of Governors RVTTI, Eldoret- Kenya.

Mr. Lucas Kaunda’s Profile Summary

Alternate to the PS. The State Department for Higher Education and Research

Member

Mr. Kaunda is the alternate to the Principal Secretary, State Department for Higher Education. He is a seasoned public finance and management professional with over 40 years of experience at both National and County Government levels. Over the course of his distinguished career, he has worked in 11 government ministries and has participated in project management initiatives in the Agriculture and Road Infrastructure sectors, working with various multilateral donor-funded programmes, thereby contributing significantly to strengthening public financial management systems and enhancing accountability and effective resource utilization across diverse sectors. He is currently serving as the Assistant Accountant General and Deputy Head of the Accounting Unit in the State Department for Higher Education. He holds a Master of Business Administration (Finance) and a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, as well as a Certificate in Project Budgeting from the University of Glasgow (Scotland).

Dr. Karen N. Kandie

Alternate to the PS. The National Treasury

Member

Dr. Kandie is a finance specialist with over twenty (20) years of strategic leadership and management experience in senior leadership positions in the financial services industry.  She is currently the Director, Parastatal Reforms (Financial) at The National Treasury and Economic Planning, where she leads Parastatal Reforms that are geared towards reducing fiscal pressures by making public spending more efficient and transparent.

She holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Nairobi, a Master of Business Administration from Murdoch University, Western Australia and a Doctor of Business Administration (Finance) from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Kenya.

Dr. Joyce Nyabuti, MBS

Member

Dr. Joyce Nyabuti is an Independent Member of Council. She is a distinguished leader with over thirty-seven years of exemplary experience in human resource management & development, and public service reform. Her exceptional service to the nation was recognized with the Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (M.B.S) presidential award, which she received in July 2022.

Dr. Nyabuti’s expertise is underpinned by a strong academic foundation, holding a Ph.D. in Business Administration from Kabarak University, an MBA in Human Resource Management from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Nairobi, a Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management from the Government Training Institute, Mombasa, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Strategic Security Studies from the University of Nairobi. She is also a certified member of the Institute of Human Resource Management

She has served as a Commissioner with the Public Service Commission of Kenya, Deputy Director of Human Resource Management and Development at the National Intelligence Service. She has served in ten high-level selection panels, including those for the Vice Chancellors and Deputy Vice Chancellors of public Universities, the Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya in May 2023, and Principal Secretaries in 2022.

CPA Gilbert Wafula Nyongesa

Member

CPA Gilbert Wafula Nyongesa is an Independent Member of the Council.

He holds an MBA in Finance from Kenya Methodist University and is a Certified Public Accountant of Kenya, and a member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya; a Certified Public Secretary of Kenya and a member of the Institute of Certified Public Secretaries of Kenya; a certified Fraud Examiners and Member of Association of Certified Fraud Examiners; a member of Chartered Institute of Arbitrator; an Accredited Governance Auditor; a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors of Kenya; a member of Institute of Directors of Kenya; an Associate member of the Institute of Human Resource Management of Kenya; a trained Mediator by Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a member of Kenya National Chambers of Commerce and Industry

Mr. Nyongesa has served as the Acting Director Board and Corporation Secretary and the Director Strategy and Corporate Services at Bukura Agricultural College, Member Board of Directors-Kakamega County Micro Finance Corporation, Managing Director-Pioneer West End Enterprises Ltd, Finance & Administration Manager at Ufanisi Freighters (K) Ltd and the General Manager at Kakamega Teachers Co-operative Savings and Credit Society Ltd

Mr. Davies K. Mukuria

Member

Mr. Davies K. Mukuria is an Independent Member of Council. He holds a Master of Business Administration in Strategic Management and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Nairobi. He is also an alumnus of the Stanford Seed Transformation Program under the Stanford Institute for Innovation in Developing Economies.

Mr. Mukuria is a seasoned result-driven entrepreneur with over twenty (20) years experience in strategic leadership, commercial management and organizational transformation. He has previously held leadership and strategic roles in various multi-national companies and is currently an Executive Director at Tropikal Brands.

Mr. Thomas M. Leremore

Member

Mr Thomas Meigkwelly Leremore is an Independent Member of Council. He is a mediator, peace-building and reconciliation expert with over 15 years of substantive experience in managing conflict management and peacebuilding programs and processes.

Mr. Leremore holds a Master’s degree in International Conflict Management and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Sociology and a Diploma in Natural Resource Management from the University of Nairobi.

He has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Peace and Development Network Trust (PeaceNet- Kenya), Economic Adviser to Samburu County Government, Board Member of Ewaso Nyiro Development Authority; Board of Trustees member of Coalition for Peace in Africa (COPA), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) representative at National Steering Committee on Peacebuilding (NSC), and Kenya’s Contact person for Global Partnership for Prevention of Armed Conflicts (GPPAC).

Hon. Florence M. Mutua

Member

Hon Florence M. Mutua, CBS is an Independent Member of the Council. She is a holder of Master of Arts in Project Planning and Management, Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration (HR), two Diplomas one in Business and Office Management and the other in Medical Secretarial and single subject certificate in Public Relations with exposure in Programme, Human Resource, Operations and Administration work. She is a Member of the Institute of Human Resource Management. Hon Florence Mutua is a two term elected Member of Parliament of Busia County and prior to that had worked for thirteen years in the United Nations Office in Nairobi Gigiri in various capacities, her last position being that of a Senior Programme Officer, Food Security Cluster, World Food Programme, Somalia. In her earlier years she worked in Aga Khan Hospital for 7 years in Medical Records Department attached to the Surgical and Anesthesia Departments. During her tenure in Parliament she was elected as the Chairperson of Committee on Education and Research for 3 years, was the Secretary, of Kenya Women Parliamentary Association for 5 years, Women Democracy Network, Kenyan Chapter, 2013-2022, Ambassador, Women Political Leaders Global Forum (WPL), Brussels 2013-2022. Regional Representative Africa Region, International Parliamentary Network for Education UK (IPNED) 2022. In 2020, She was awarded the Chief of Order of the Burning Spear by HE President Uhuru Kenyatta (CBS).

Prof. John Okumu, Ph.D., KNAS
Ag. Vice-Chancellor, Kenyatta University, Kenya 
Professor John Okumu is a distinguished scholar and higher education administrator with over three decades of experience in teaching, research, and university governance. Currently, he is the Acting Vice-Chancellor of Kenyatta University. He is a Professor of Physics and holds a Ph.D. in Condensed Matter Physics from the University of Leeds, United Kingdom (UK). Professor Okumu has extensive university leadership experience, most notably serving as substantive Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at Kenyatta University for two consecutive terms (2010–2020). In this role, he provided strategic leadership in academic planning, quality assurance, research and innovation, digital transformation, and student affairs. He oversaw the development and accreditation of over 77 academic programmes, the establishment of the Kenyatta University Digital School, and the successful implementation of major academic systems, including a new Student Management System. During his tenure, the University recorded significant growth in student enrolment, programme diversity, international partnerships, and digital learning platforms.

Prof. Zipporah W. Ng’ang’a, PhD

Principal – Ex – Officio Member and Council Secretary

Prof. Zipporah Waithera Ng’ang’a is the Principal of Mama Ngina University College. She is a Professor of immunology with extensive working experience at universities for thirty six (36) years. She holds a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) from Kenyatta University, an Executive MBA from JKUAT, an MSc and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Nairobi, Kenya. She is a member of various professional bodies including the ARPPIS Scholars Association (ASA), African Women in Science and Engineering (AWSE), and Kenya Professional Association of Women in Agriculture and Environment (KEPAWAE) among others. Prior to her appointment as the Principal of Mama Ngina University College, she served as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic, Research and Student Affairs), South Eastern Kenya University for ten (10) years. She has also served as Ag. Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration and Human Resource Management), South Eastern Kenya University (SEKU), Ag. Principal, College of Health Sciences (COHES), Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) and as the Director, Institute of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases (ITROMID), Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) among many other roles in the academic arena. Prof. Ng’ang’a has extensively published in peer reviewed journals and also supervised to completion one hundred and fifteen (115) Masters and twenty three (23) PhD students in the area of Immunology & Public Health