HERI Africa KU Research Chair

Prof. Jackline Nyerere

HERI Africa Research Chair in Life skills and Values Education

Jackline Nyerere is an Associate Professor of Education at Kenyatta University and the inaugural HERI Africa (Harnessing Education Research for Impact in Africa) Research Chair in Life Skills and Values Education. Professor Nyerere has led and contributed to transformative education research focused on education systems, youth empowerment, gender equality, and sustainable development. Her work has spanned multiple countries, including Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Zambia, Nigeria, and Ghana, and has been supported by leading institutions such as the Gates Foundation, the African Development Bank, UK Research and Innovation, the British…

Dr. John Mugo

HERI Africa Co - Research Chair in Life skills and Values Education

John Mugo is a seasoned educator. His research interests include life skills and values, foundational literacy and numeracy, gender in education, as well as African perspectives and theories. He holds a PhD in education from the University of Hannover, Germany.

Prof. Mary Otieno

Department of Educational Management Policy & Curriculum Studies

Prof. Otieno is a seasoned educationist and a stellar researcher with immense experience in the Kenya’s education landscape and beyond. Prof Otieno’s area of expertise is educational planning and policy studies research. Her research work focuses on strengthening education systems’ quality, where she has published widely and an award winner, recognized for a Distinguished Research Service in Educational Reforms in Sub-Saharan Africa by Comparative and International Education Society's (CIES, 2018). Prof Otieno holds membership in various organizations as enhancing collaboration and networking for impacting positive change in education. She is…

Prof. Rubai Mandela

Department of Education Foundation

Prof. Rubai Mandela is an Associate Professor of Education at Kenyatta University with over 20 years of research experience, anchored in her doctoral research on Gender and HIV/AIDS Education in Refugee Schools. While specializing in gender, she has conducted substantive research in values and life skills, served as the process manager for ALiVE Co-Impact Design Phase in 2024 and contributed to WERK’s VBE project of 2015. A highly published scholar with numerous peer-reviewed journal papers and books, she has won prestigious funding, including a senior research grant from CODESRIA. Her…

Prof. Paul Gachanja

Department of Economic Theory

Prof. Paul M. Gachanja is an Associate Professor of Economics and the Ag. DVC (Administration and Finance) at Kenyatta University, with over two decades of progressive experience in higher education leadership, policy-driven research, and academic mentorship. He is a distinguished economist with extensive expertise in Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), demonstrated through both advanced professional training and hands-on leadership. He has completed specialized courses in financial modeling, contract negotiation, fiscal risk management, and legal frameworks for PPPs through institutions such as the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank Group, and Kenya’s…

Prof. Hannah Bula

Department of Business Administration

Prof. Hannah is an associate professor of entrepreneurship and management and the chair of Doctoral and MBA Programmes at Kenyatta University. She holds a PhD in Entrepreneurship and is an educationist and a trainer of trainers of over 30. She is an accomplished researcher currently researching for HERI Africa in Kenyatta University Chair. She is an expert in entrepreneurship, gender and sustainability research. Hannah has published four university level books, Journal articles, three book chapters, two modules for African virtual University on Entrepreneurship and Technology innovation. She has done conference/journal…

Dr. Pacificah F. Okemwa

Department of Sociology, Gender and Development Studies

Dr. Pacificah is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Sociology, Gender and Development Studies at Kenyatta University, Kenya. She holds a PhD in Religious Studies from Kenyatta University. Her research focuses on gender equality, gender-based violence, women’s economic empowerment, climate change, masculinities, social inclusion, and community development. She has led and contributed to internationally funded research and consultancy projects supported by IDRC, FCDO, WUSC, Practical Action, Save the Children International, Oxfam GB, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and is one of the HERI Africa researchers. She has published…

Dr. Janerose Kibaara

Department of Educational Management, Policy and Curriculum Studies

Janerose is Senior Lecturer, education Management and Policy, a leadership coach and policy consultant. She is a researcher in inclusive education and ethics advocate with a PhD in Education Management and Policy from Kenyatta University and numerous certifications. Janerose has collaborated extensively with government agencies and education institutions to develop strategic initiatives in education and research. She is currently serving the Kenya Judiciary as a member of the Public Benefits Organizations Disputes Tribunal (PBODT), she is also the Board chair, Ethical Leadership Network (ELNET), an organization that champions ethical leadership…

Dr. Purity Muthima

Department of Educational Management, Policy and Curriculum Studies

Dr. Purity Muthima is an Association of Commonwealth Universities’ Fellow in Education. She is a researcher, mentor and a teacher trainer in the Department of Educational Management, Policy and Curriculum Studies, School of Education and lifelong learning, Kenyatta University, Kenya. She is a senior lecturer and specializes in Education Economics, Policy and Planning. Her scholarly work focuses on youth’s skilling, mentorship, employability and education outcomes in basic, TVET and higher education. As an educationist, she has participated in the development of the Competence Based Education and learning materials evaluator under…

Dr. Daniel Otieno

Department of Educational Management, Policy & Curriculum Studies

Dr. Daniel Otieno is a Senior Lecturer and an educator in the Department of Educational Management Policy and Curriculum Studies at Kenyatta University, Kenya. He holds a PhD in Educational Administration and lectures on Educational Management/Leadership, Educational Research, Monitoring and Evaluation and use of ICT in Education. He has published articles in peer-reviewed journals and book chapters on values-based leadership, digital literacy, blended learning and strategic management. His current research focus is on internationalization, virtual academic exchange, pluralism, social inclusion and sustainable development. He is a certified Life Coach, trainer…

Dr. Wilson Mutuma

Department of Educational Management, Policy & Curriculum Studies

Dr. Wilson Mutuma is a Lecturer, Researcher, and Consultant in Educational Economics, Policy, and Planning at Kenyatta University’s School of Education. He is currently engaged in several research projects, including the What Works for Women Economic Empowerment project (WWWEE-KU Hub) on transferable skills for women and girls in Kenya; the Climate-U Project on Transforming Universities for a Changing Climate at the Kenyatta University Green Education Hub; Leadership for Educational Development (LEAD-ESD); and Harnessing Education Research for Impact Africa (HERI-Africa-Kenyatta University), with a focus on life skills and value-based education. He…

Dr. Damaris Kariuki

Department of Educational Management, Policy & Curriculum Studies

Dr. Damaris Kariuki is a faculty member and researcher at the Department of Educational Management, Policy & Curriculum Studies School of Education and Lifelong Learning, Kenyatta University. She holds a doctoral degree in educational management. Her career life, spanning over twenty years has been in the education space as a teacher, school administrator and teacher educator with invaluable knowledge, skills and experience on educational issues. Kariuki is engaged in research and consultancy on teacher professional development, education for sustainable development, transferable skills and employability, gender and STEM among others. She…

Dr. Godwin Opinde

Department of Spatial & Environmental Planning

Dr. Godwin Opinde is a Lecturer in the Department of Spatial & Environmental Planning at Kenyatta University, Kenya. He holds a PhD in Environmental Planning & Management from Kenyatta University and a Postgraduate Certificate in GIS & Remote Sensing from the University of Twente in the Netherlands. His research interests include climate change adaptation and mitigation, waste management, air quality management, transport planning, renewable energy, environmental governance, the informal economy, education research and urban-rural development. Dr. Opinde brings extensive experience from both academia and public service. He has contributed to…

Dr. Purity Muthoni

Department of Spatial and Environmental Planning

Dr. Purity Njeri is a Lecturer in the Department of Spatial and Environmental Planning at Kenyatta University. She holds a PhD in Environmental Planning and Management from Kenyatta University and has undertaken postgraduate training in Environmental Governance at the University of Freiburg's Arnold Bergstraesser Institute in Germany and Sustainable Human Development at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. She holds a Diploma in Project Monitoring and Evaluation from the Kenya Institute of Management. Her academic interests include climate resilience, environmental governance, sustainable urbanization, informal settlements, social entrepreneurship, and education…

Dr. Josephine Mutua

Department of Educational Psychology

Dr. Josephine Mutua is a lecturer in Educational Psychology with extensive experience in teaching, research, and postgraduate supervision. Currently, she is the Chairperson Post Graduate Committee, School of Education and Lifelong Learning. Her expertise spans educational assessment, psychological testing, research methodology, socio-emotional learning, and competency-based education. She has supervised numerous masters and doctoral students, contributed to curriculum development, and has been actively involved in community engagement initiatives. Dr. Mutua has published in peer-reviewed journals and presented her work at national and international conferences. She is passionate about generating evidence that…

Dr. Molly M. Ogalloh

Department of Early childhood and Special Needs Education

Dr. Molly M. Ogalloh is a researcher and a lecturer in Kenyatta University, Department of Early childhood and Special Needs Education since 2015. Areas of specialization are orthopedic, multiple disabilities and inclusive Education with a bias towards disability rights, and learner support systems. I use qualitative and mixed-methods approaches to examine restrictions to education and learning for learners with Special Needs which helps in designing school and community-based interventions. I am skilled in curriculum adaptation, use of IEP and stakeholders engagement. Data collected and analyzed into inclusive policies may improve…

Tabitha Osoro

Department of Educational Communication and Technology

Tabitha Osoro is a Tutorial Fellow in the Department of Educational Communication and Technology at Kenyatta University and a PhD candidate in the Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Educational Media at Moi University. She is a member of the Africa Multiple Research Centre–Moi University Early Career Researchers network and the VAD Young Scholars Network. Her scholarship spans music education, culturally responsive pedagogy, educational technology, music archives, and cultural memory. She is interested in the pedagogical use of archival resources, the transmission and representation of musical knowledge, and approaches to education…

Stanley Kimaita

Department of Applied Economics

Stanley K. Kimaita is a Ph.D candidate in Economics at Kenyatta University, where he also serves as a Tutorial Fellow in the Department of Applied Economics. A doctoral-level applied economist and research professional with over nine years of progressive cross-sector experience, his scholarly interests span macroeconomic policy, public finance, education economics, health economics, and human capital development in East Africa, with a particular focus on the policy implications of structural reform in Kenya’s education and health financing systems. Stanley has contributed to internationally funded research programmes, including a USD 3.4…

David Alelah

Alelah is a Regional MEAL Coordinator at Mizizi Elimu Afrika, supporting the design and implementation of monitoring, evaluation, accountability, learning, and evidence-use systems across education programmes in East Africa. His work centers on monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning systems that support evidence-informed education programming and system-level reforms. He has also expertise on generating and using evidence to strengthen Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). This experience draws from his involvement in the Action for Life Skills and Values in East Africa (ALiVE)) programme. He is also an AxSEL Scholar, contributing to…

Dr. Paul Nyang’au

Research Fellow

Paul Nyamweya Nyang’au is a development economist and researcher with over ten years of experience in impact assessment, agricultural policy, food security evaluation, and programme evaluation. His recent work has expanded into competency-based education (CBE), values-based education (VbE), and the integration of life skills and values into teaching and teacher education. His research focuses on evaluating educational interventions and generating evidence to inform policy and practice. His professional development in social-emotional learning (SEL) complements his work on holistic learner development. Paul has expertise in quantitative research, statistical analysis, and impact…