Gilbert Hagabimana
Gilbert is a national of Burundi. He holds a Master’s Degree in Law (LL.M) focused on Law of Regional Integration and East African Community law from the University of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) and a Bachelor’s Degree in Law (LL.B) from the University of Burundi (Burundi).
He is currently a lecturer at Martin Luther King University of Bujumbura and Hills University. Before that he was employed by Connect International, a company registered in Burundi and Kenya providing conference and tourism management services from 2010- 2012 as a legal adviser. From January to June 2013, he joined a training on East African Studies at NYERERE Centre for peace research in ARUSHA, a training which was organized by the East African Community in collaboration with Arcadia University (USA) before he went to the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights where he worked as an intern for five months. He also worked with the African Foundation for International law where he highly contributed in conducting a study on the implementation of the Rome Statute by military tribunals in Democratic Republic of Congo.
Gilbert has a passion to see an integrated East African. To this end, as academician, his research area of interest is law of regional integration, East African community law and Human rights.
Kenya. Nanjala Nyabola
NanjalaNyabola is a Kenyan writer, humanitarian advocate and political analyst currently based in Nairobi, Kenya where she works as the Head of Programmes and Programme Coordinator for Democracy, Human Rights and International Dialogue for the East and Horn of Africa office of the Heinrich Boell Foundation. She holds a Class I undergraduate degree in African Studies and Political Science from the University of Birmingham in the UK where she received the Vice Chancellor’s Award for the Most Outstanding Undergraduate amongst other awards; an MSc in Forced Migration and an MSc in African Studies, both from the University of Oxford which she attended as a Rhodes Scholar, and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.
An unapologetic post-colonial feminist, her primary interests are in conflict and post-crisis reconstruction, especially translating and incorporating the experiences of marginalised voices (racial, ethnic, economic or gender minorities) in the process of rebuilding societies. She publishes regularly in both academic and non-academic fora, including Foreign Affairs, Al Jazeera English, African Arguments, The Guardian, The African Security Review and several others, and provides on air commentary on African politics for CCTV Africa, Al Jazeera and other outlets. She was an inaugural Foreign Policy Interrupted Fellow, which creates visibility for leading female foreign policy analysts, and has lived in and travelled to almost 60 countries across 4 continents, and worked on humanitarian and human rights issues with several international organisations.
Rwanda. John Bosco Kanyangoga
John is a Rwandan International Trade Lawyer and Independent Consultant specializing in International Trade Negotiations, Regional Integration, Trade Policy Analysis and Trade Related issues. He is based in Kigali, Rwanda. He has a Masters Degree in International Transactions and Comparative Law (LLM) from the University of San Francisco, School of Law, California, USA in 2004. He also earned his Bachelor of Laws Degree (LLB) from the National University of Rwanda in 2000. Before launching into full time consultancy, John Bosco served as Director of Trade and Policy Advocacy for the Rwanda Private Sector Federation. Prior to this he worked as an expert on Regional Economic Integration and he was one of the key Rwandan negotiators that negotiated for Rwanda’s accession to the EAC.
In his career of more than 14 years, he has been actively involved in major trade related negotiations that Rwanda has been engaged in bilaterally, regionally and at the multilateral level. He is also a member of the National Trade Policy Forum (NTPF) and among the lead technical negotiators articulating Rwanda’s interests in the EAC-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and the COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFA). He has carried out and written a number of studies, briefs and policy papers on a number of topics, including on; trade in services, movement of persons, free movement of goods, export promotion, free trade agreements, among others.
John is also an ordained Minister (Pastor) serving with Authentic Word Ministries (AWM) that has established a number of non-denominational Christian Churches around the world with head offices in Kigali, Rwanda. In his pastoral duties, he has mentored a number of young people and supported a number of youth projects which have included personally financing the production of a Christian Movie titled “The Power of the Message” acted by young Rwandans
Tanzania. Sudi S. Mangara
Sudi S. Mangara is General Manager Ngome SACCOS Ltd, before this position he was working as Managing Director of Tanganyika Farmers Association (TFA) Ltd Arusha. Other senior management positions held in financial institutions include, General Manager at Meru Community Bank Ltd Arusha, Branch Manager KCB (T) Ltd, I.C.B Bank (T) Ltd, and Department Manager CRDB Bank Plc. January 2010 to June 2015 I was working as part time Assistant Lecturer at the Institute of Accountancy Arusha.
He has Master Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from Open University of Tanzania, Master Degree in Banking (MSc. Banking) from University of Mons Calpe Business Management Academy in Switzerland, Diploma in Animal Production from Uyole Agricultural Centre and Certificate of Banking from Dr. Amon’s Nsekela Bankers Academy in Iringa.
He has served as Board Member of Agricultural Council of Tanzania (ACT) and Board Member of Notre Dame Schools in Arusha.
Agnes Mungati Batengas
Agnes Mungati Batengas (Mrs.) is a Real Estate Consultant based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and specializes in the fields of Project Management, Project Finance, Value Management and Development Consultancy as well as providing advisory services on various matters related to Real Estate.
Agnes has an MBA (Real Estate and Construction) from the University of Reading, UK; A Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Postgraduate Diploma in Project Management, UK and a Bsc. Honors Degree in Building Engineering and Management from the University of Brighton, UK
Agnes has several years of professional experience in Tanzania both in the Governmental Institutions and in the private sector. She is also a member of professional bodies both locally and internationally and has sat on the board of the African Real Estate Society (Afres) that is a constituent member of the International Real Estate Society (IRES). Agnes is also currently a Director and Board Chair for AAR Insurance Tanzania.
Her other personal interests include involvement in various Community Service projects and she is an active member of her local rotary club that is a part of the Rotary International global network, Agnes is the Immediate Past President of her Club.
Lydia Nyachiro Kasese
Lydia Nyachiro Kasese is a writer, of fiction and non-fiction works as well as a media planner. Her first ever collection of short poetry was published earlier this year as a part of the New-Generation African Poets: A Chapbook Box Set. Her other works have appeared in literary websites as well as having been longlisted and shortlisted in literary awards such as Writivism and BNPA poetry competition.
Lydia is a professional bummer and thus a procrastinator at heart who is often motivated to work by panic and heart palpitations that are a reminder of work undone. She seeks comfort and understanding of pain and life through books and other people’s life stories. She hopes to someday be rid of her procrastination.
Uganda. Elizabeth Mbabazi-Kagwa
Elizabeth Mbabazi-Kagwa is an artist, fashion designer, art manager with diverse and commendable skills in contemporary art, fashion design and art gallery’s operations in Kampala and attained formal training from Makerere University and added cultural entrepreneurial training from the African Arts Institute in Cape Town, South Africa.
Life is an opportunity to learn more every day and through her numerous local and international travels she stays inspired and in tune with the global developments which have been an invaluable source of inspiration for her art and design and cultural exploration.
Elizabeth currently manages the leading contemporary art gallery in Kampala; Afriart gallery and also lectures Fashion Design at St. Lawrence University renown for promoting entrepreneurship as she values skills sharing and nurturing while interacting with young creative minds alongside running her private bespoke label ME-UG Ltd.
Elizabeth also serves on the Kampala Arts Trust board which organizes the Kampala Biennale that takes place every two years and promotes art and culture exchange on the African continent.