Our team in Kenya

Anna Mutavati is a human rights and social development expert with 20 years experience on leadership and management, human rights and gender equality programming. A lawyer by profession, Anna holds a Masters’ Degree in Women’s Law from the Southern and Eastern Regional Centre for Women’s Law (SEARCWL), University of Zimbabwe and Degree in Law from the University of Zimbabwe. Prior to joining UN Women in Kenya, Anna was Deputy Representative and Head of Programmes at UN Women in Uganda for five years.

Capt. Muli joined the IMO from Maritime Administration in Kenya where his last appointment was the head of maritime safety. He previously served the disciplined forces where he served in different capacities, including as command of the Kenya Navy Ships. Capt. Muli holds a Master’s Degree in Maritime Transport from the World Maritime University, Malmo, Sweden and he is a holder of Master Mariner Certificate of Competency.

Until his appointment, Mr. Rugalema served as the United Nations Resident Coordinator ad interim and FAO Representative in Sierra Leone. He has also worked with UNDP and UNESCO in food security, gender, equity, rural employment, education and HIV vis-à-vis development. Mr. Rugalema holds a BSc in Agriculture (Crop Science) from Sokoine University of Agriculture in Morogoro, Tanzania, an MSc in Natural Resources Management and Sustainable Agriculture from the Agricultural University of Norway and a PhD in Development Studies from the Institute of Social Studies in Netherlands.

Dr. Olajide has served as UNFPA Kenya Representative since July 2017. Previously he served as the Chief, Non-Core Funds Management Unit in the Office of the Executive Director, UNFPA headquarters in New York and as UNFPA Representative in Namibia. Previously, he served as the Head of Division, Health, Nutrition and Population African Union Commission in Ethiopia from 2011 to 2013. Dr. Olajide holds a Doctor of Medicine degree from University of Ibadan, Master’s in Business Administration degree from Federal University of Technology, Master of Public Health from the University of Ibadan and Master of Arts in International Relations from Benue State University.

Juliette over 20 years of experience in environmental projects and programmes management, having worked with a wide range of international organizations, including UNDP, Canadian Crossroads International and IUCN. She has served as Minister of Environment and Nature Protection for the Benin government. She holds an MSc. in Forestry Economics, a PhD. degree in Public Policy and Administration, and an expert diploma in Renewable Energy.

Prior to her appointment to in Kenya, Dr. Tsehaiu served for five years in the same position in Zambia and for three years in South Sudan. She has also served as Chief of Staff at the Federal Ministry of Health in Ethiopia, her country of birth. Medhin's professional career spans across research, academia, public health, management and development. She graduated with a PhD in Organic Chemistry from Eotvos Lorand University in Budapest, Hungary.

Dr. Eggers has held the position since 1st September 2016. He is a public health physician from South Africa, where he obtained his medical degree and post-graduate specialization in public health, epidemiology, disease control and health administration and financing from the University of Pretoria. In addition, he has postgraduate diplomas in health administration and financing and in occupational health. He previously served as WHO team leader for immunization systems strengthening in Geneva, Switzerland and as East Africa Inter-country Coordinator for Immunization. Before joining WHO in 1999, he was national immunization programme manager in South Africa, and worked as medical epidemiologist in the national Department of Health in South Africa.

Maniza Zaman became UNICEF Kenya Representative in June 2019, coming in from the same position in Tanzania. where she was responsible for overseeing the UNICEF country programme, forging strategic partnerships and expanding UNICEF’s engagement in local governance and decentralization. She has also served UNICEF in New York, Vietnam and Ethiopia. Ms Zaman is a dual national of Bangladesh and the United Kingdom. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Oxford, UK, and Master of Science degree from Cornell University, USA. She is married with two children.

Amado was appointed UNODC Regional Representative for Eastern Africa in 2017. He previously served as Regional Representative for Central America and the Caribbean in Panama (covering all Central America, the Caribbean and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela). He has also previously worked for UNODC in Vienna, Senegal, Kosovo and in the Regional Section for Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. Mr. de Andrés has a PhD in Economics, a master’s degree in Public Administration a double bachelor’s degree in International Economics and International Relations from Hillsdale College, Michigan, USA. He is the author of a book titled The Balkans: Purgatory of Europe (published by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

Before joining UNISDR Regional Office for Africa, Mr. Abbashar headed the organization’s Regional Office for Arab States in Cairo, Egypt. Mr Abbashar began his United Nations career as a Programme Officer with the UNDP Emergency Unit in Sudan dealing with Operation Lifeline Sudan in the early 1990’s. Later he became Field Coordinator in the Department of Humanitarian Affairs during the Liberian war after which he was assigned as Deputy Head of OCHA in Sierra Leone. He joined OCHA’s headquarters in New York in 2000 as a Humanitarian Affairs Officer focusing on inter-governmental matters related to the Security Council, the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council.

Mark Majodina, the World Meteorological Organization Representative for Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA), took office on 1st September 2017. Prior to his appointment as the WMO Representative for Eastern and Southern Africa, Mr. Majodina served in the South African Weather Service for over 19 years in different capacities. He has also previously served in the Secretariat of the Meteorological Association of Southern Africa (MASA) and several technical committees of the WMO and its Executive Council. He also served as the Head of the WMO International Relations Advisers for the African region (RA1). Mr. Majodina graduated from the University of Pretoria with a Master of Science degree in Project Management. He also holds bachelor’s and Master of Science degrees in Ocean & Atmosphere Science from the University of Cape Town.

Mr. Ega-Musa is an experienced communication and policy leader. During his career, he has had the opportunity to advise and work with the following world leaders: President Jimmy Carter, Koffi Anana, President Sahle-Wok Zewde (Ethiopia), President Olusegun Obassanjo (Nigeria), President Benjamin Mkapa (Tanzania) and Graca Michel (South Africa). Some of the key initiatives he has worked on include peace negations in Kenya after the 2008 political crisis as well as the Democratic Republic of Congo peace talks. In the private sector he helped Reebok develop an international corporate responsibility strategy. He has also worked for the United Nations and World Bank. During Mr. Ega-Musa’s long career, he has built, in Africa and the Middle East, a strong network of Government Officials, Diplomats, Aid Organizations, Journalists and Media Houses. He was educated at Wesleyan University and Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy. He has a masters degree from Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, Medford, MA.

Rainer has served as Director of UNOPS Kenya Multi Country office (KMCO) since 2014 and was previously Adviser for Risk Reduction and Recovery in UNOPS Head Quarters in Copenhagen. He first worked with the UN in Sri Lanka, going on to other agencies in conflict, disaster and emergency operations in Afghanistan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines, Haiti, Maldives, Ethiopia, Somalia and South Sudan. He a Magister Juris/LLM from the Universities of Salzburg and Vienna and a Master’s in Development Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies of the University of London.

Thomas Chiramba is currently a Senior Human Settlements Officer in the Regional Office for Africa of UN Habitat responsible for 12 Eastern and Southern African Countries. He holds a PhD in civil engineering and a master’s degree in architecture and has over 30 years of professional experience in urban development and management. He has previously worked for the City of Kwekwe in Zimbabwe as City Engineer before assuming advisory positions with USAID and GIZ of national urban development programmes in Zimbabwe and Namibia. He has also worked for UNDP and UNEP.

Mr. Chibebe was appointed the Country Director for ILO Office for Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi in 2018. Prior to that, he was Deputy Secretary General of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). His has been a steady growth, including working as apprentice fitter, then as mechanical engineering technician and on to become Secretary General of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Law from the University of South Africa.

Ms. Ndong-Jatta is the Director for Multi-Sectoral Office in Nairobi for East Africa (Kenya) and UNESCO Representative to Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Tanzania, Somalia, South Sudan and Uganda. Ms. Ndong-Jatta has previously served as the Minister of Education in Gambia, where she oversaw the creation of the first University in 2000. She holds a BA (Honours) in Education, English and History (Bayero University (Nigeria), and M.Sc. in Educational Leadership (Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee (USA).

Annalisa Conte has been Representative and Country Director for Kenya since August 2015. Previously she was Deputy Director in the Policy and Programme Division, World Food Programme, Italy. She is responsible for developing, overseeing and providing strategic guidance in the implementation of the country operations and for supporting Government’s priorities in the area of food security, emergency preparedness and response. During the outbreak of Ebola in western Africa, Annalisa was assigned as WFPs Senior Emergency Coordinator for Ebola response in Guinea.

Esther joined as IFAD’s Country Programme Manager in the East and Southern Africa Division in 2019. Before joining IFAD, Esther worked with the African Development Bank and as consultant with FAO. She has also worked with in various agriculture-related positions in in Canada, India, Italy, and Zambia. Kasalu-Coffin holds an M.Sc. degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Manitoba in Canada and a BA in Economics and Business Administration from the University of Zambia.

Ms. Abdalla joined as UNHCR Representative to Kenya in February 2019, coming in from same position in Afghanistan. She has also served UNHCR as Deputy Representative in Iran and Yemen, and Head of Operations in Western Sahara. Her experience also includes working with UNICEF, Save the Children, OXFAM and MSF, in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Ms. Abdalla was educated in Khartoum, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. She holds a M.Sc from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London University, United Kingdom.

Gemma Connell has been heads of the UN Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Regional Office for Southern and Eastern Africa since July 2017, overseeing service to 25 countries. She has worked with OCHA in South Sudan, Syria, Nigeria, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, Myanmar, the Philippines and Ukraine. Prior to joining OCHA, Gemma worked with the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) in Gaza, where she organised – and participated in – the first ever marathon. Gemma began her career working on women’s rights and human rights with the UN and several small NGOs.

Sharon Dimanche assumed her role as the Chief of Mission of IOM Kenya from November 2019.

With a career spanning over 16 years, Sharon has led several IOM offices and operations to help address both short and long-term migration management challenges. She has worked with multiple IOM missions where she addressed irregular migration challenges, partnered with Governments for the implementation of the Global Compact for Migration, provided strategic direction in labor Migration and border management and led donor liaison and resource mobilization efforts in Bangladesh, Myanmar, Ethiopia, and Uganda.

Prior to joining IOM Kenya, Sharon held the position of the Deputy Chief of Mission (Development) at IOM Bangladesh. She also chaired the UN Migration Network in Bangladesh.

Ms. Dimanche holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and Diplomatic Studies (MAIRDS) and a Bachelor of Laws, LLB, (Hons), from Makerere University.

Mr. Victor DIWANDJA DJEMBA was designated as the Officer-in-Charge of the UNIDO Country Office to Kenya, Eritrea, South Sudan, Comoros and Seychelles. Prior to his current appointment, Mr. Djemba served as the UNIDO Representative in Senegal, covering Cabo-Verde, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania. Mr. Djemba is a graduate in Electromechanical engineering from the “Ecole Nationale Supérieure Polytechnique (ENSP)” of Yaoundé, Cameroon, and holds a Master’s in Industrial systems engineering and a Postgraduate Research Degree (DEA) in Industrial systems and innovation management from the “Institut National Polytechnique de Lorraine (INPL)”, France. He is also a Commonwealth Scholar from the University of Sussex in England, where he graduated with a Master's in Development economics.

Mr. Walid Badawi joined as UNDP Kenya Resident Representative in June 2019. He has served UNDP for over 20 years, with his last posting being UNDP Country Director in South Africa. He has previously worked in Indonesia and Egypt as well as in in the Regional Bureau for Arab States. Mr. Badawi holds a master’s degree in international management (Finance and Marketing) from the American Graduate School of International Management, Thunderbird, Campus, Glendale, Arizona and a B.A from Fordham University in Economics.