Position: Extraordinary Professor of African Studies, Centre for African and Gender Studies, University of Free State, South Africa
Summary Profile: 26 years of experience in peace, security, transitional justice, governance and development in Africa with a background in policy development, research, analysis, facilitation, mediation, training, teaching, supervising, programme management and project implementation support. Has worked with the United Nations, African Union, think-tanks, NGOs, development partners, and Universities in Africa, Europe and North America. Extensive publications including 11 books – four authored books and seven edited books – as well as over 110 journal articles, chapters, policy reports and opinion editorials. Member of boards of NGO’s and academic journals. General Editor of the Routledge/Europa Book Series on Perspectives in Transitional Justice. Delivery of presentations and participation in speaking engagements in Africa and around the world.
Nationality: Kenyan (with Permanent Residency status in South Africa); Date of Birth: 16 October 1970
Education: October 1994 – November 1998; Keele University, UK, PhD in International Relations
October 1993 – September 1994; University of Kent, UK, MA in International Relations
September 1990 – June 1993; Queen’s University, Canada BA in Psychology
Work and Consulting Experience:
August 2015 – Present: Extraordinary Professor of African Studies, Centre for African Studies, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa (Research Fellow from 2011)
June 2010 – Present: Head of Programme, Peacebuilding Interventions Programme, Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR), Cape Town, South Africa
Nov 2018–Present: Research Associate, Institute for Democracy, Citizenship, Public Policy in Africa, University of Cape Town, South Africa
April 2020 – Present: Research Associate, African Centre for the Study of the United States, University of Witswatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Nov 2016 – Present: Senior Research Associate, Nordic Africa Institute, Uppsala, Sweden
August – November 2016: Claude Ake Visiting Professor, Nordic Africa Institute and Uppsala University, Department of Peace and Conflict Research, Sweden
January – June 2018: Lecturer, Department of Political Studies, University of Cape Town
June 2014–Present: Senior Associate/Board Member, Centre for Mediation, Dept. Political Studies, Univ. Pretoria
July 2016 – Present: Member, Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa, Technical Committee member
November 2012 – Present: Research Fellow, African Gender Institute, University of Cape Town, South Africa
May 2009 – May 2010: Head of Programme, PSC Report Programme, Institute for Security Studies (ISS), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
April 2008 – April 2009 Senior Research Fellow, Principal Coordinator and Course Instructor Centre for International Cooperation and Security (CICS), Department of Peace Studies, University of Bradford, UK
December 2007 – April 2008 Adviser, Peace and Security Department (PSD) and African Citizens Directorate (CIDO), African Union Commission, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
May 2007 – April 2008 Senior Researcher, Direct Conflict Prevention Programme (DCP), Institute for Security Studies (ISS), Addis Ababa Office, Ethiopia
July 2005 – April 2007 Senior Researcher, Policy Development and Research (PDR), Centre for Conflict Resolution (CCR), University of Cape Town
January 1999 – July 2005 Programme Officer, Programme in Peacemaking and Preventive Diplomacy, United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), Geneva, Switzerland
October 1995 – January 1999 Session Teacher in International Relations, Department of International Relations, Keele University, United Kingdom
Also worked as an Adviser/Consultant to African Union – PSD, DPA, AULA, CIDO (2008-2016); SADC-Politics, Defence and Security (2016); UN Economic Commission for African (2019); UN Office of the Special Advisor on Prevention of Genocide (2013); ECOWAS-Political Affairs (2013); UNDP – BCPR 2014; UNDP-Sierra Leone 2003; UN Economic Commission for Africa (2019); UN Office for Genocide Prevention and R2P; International Commission of Jurists (2012/3); UK DFID 1998 to 2000, German GiZ (2013/15); UN Affiliated University for Peace (UPEACE) July 2002; International Peace Institute (formerly the International Peace Academy) December 2007 to February 2008; Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) April 2007; InterAfrica Group (IAG) March 2008;
Publications Summary Profile: over 110 publications including: 11 books in total including – 3 single authored books; 1 co-authored book; 7 edited books (two co-edited); guest editor on 2 journals; See a selection below.
Author:1) The Ethics of Peacebuilding; 2) The African Union: Pan-Africanism, Peacebuilding and Development; 3) Judicial Imperialism: Politicization of International Criminal Justice in Africa;
Co-author: 5) The African Peace and Security Architecture: A Handbook;
Editor: 6) Routledge Handbook of Africa’s International Relations; 7) Towards an African Union Government: Challenges and Opportunities; 8) The Politics of Transitional Justice in the Great Lakes Region of Africa;
Co-editor: 9) The African Union: Autocracy, Diplomacy and Peacebuilding in Africa; 9) Zimbabwe in Transition: A View from Within; 10) The African Union and its Institutions; 11) The African Peace and Security Council: A Five Year Appraisal;
Guest Editor: Horn of Africa Bulletin; Kenyan Journal of International Criminal Justice; African Security Review, and African Peace and Conflict Journal
Peer-Reviewed Articles published in – African Affairs; Global Responsibility to Protect; African Development; African Insight; African Journal of Conflict Resolution; African Journal of Democracy and Governance; African Renaissance; Africa Security Review; Globalisation, Societies and Education; International Journal on World Peace; International Review of Education; Journal of Conflict, Peace and Development; Journal of Peacebuilding and Development; Journal of Pan-African Studies; Peace and Policy; Peace Review
Policy Briefs: Regional Reconciliation in Africa: Cross-border Strategies for Transitional Justice (co-authored); The African Court of Justice and Human Rights and the International Criminal Court: Unpacking the Political Dimensions of Concurrent Jurisdiction (co-authored)