Ms. Christina Kamili Ruhinda is the Executive Director of the Tanzania Network of Legal Aid Providers (TANLAP). She is also a Chairperson of Songera - Mississippi Organization (SOMI), Tangible Initiative for Local Development (TIFLD), Tanzania Youth Inspiration Organization (TaYIO) and Door of Hope to Women and Youth Tanzania ( DHWYT); A member of A National Bench - Bar Case Management Committee established under Chief Justice’s Circular No. 5 of 2018, Founding member of East Africa Regional Network of Non-State and State Actors, a Member of Ministry of Constitutional and Legal Affairs National Legal Aid Act Implementing Team, a member of African Union’s Network of African Women in Conflict Prevention and Mediation (FemWise-Africa), a member of Tanzania Girl Guide Association, a Vital Voice Global Alumni (VVLEAD), member of Women Right Defenders Steering Committee and Tanzania Local Researchers Coordinator on Global Access to Justice Project . She has further participated in Various African Union expert’s Meetings organized by the Political Affairs Department as an expert on access to justice.  

Ms. Ruhinda has over 10 years of experience in the Legal Aid sub-sector, Human Rights, Gender, Governance, Justice and Rule of Law, Election Observation, Networking, Programme Management and Capacity Development. She has, inter alia, been engaged in the identification of potential issues that have had an effect on access to Justice in Tanzania; analyzing human rights abuses and proposing possible reforms; conducting assessment of Tanzania’s legislations, practice and capacities in respect to regional, continental and international human rights standards - treaty obligations and compliance.

Israel Ilunde is the founder and Executive Director of The Youth Partnership Countrywide (YPC), a Civil Society Organization working on civic and economic empowerment of Female and Male youth through training in Governance and entrepreneurship, dialogue, advocacy, and field exposure as well as voluntary works. Mr. Ilunde as a Chief Executive Officer of YPC has intensively and broadly facilitated and supervised Project designing, planning, resource mobilization, implementation, Monitoring, Learning, and evaluations of all YPC interventions and effective networking and joint ventures.

Mr. Ilunde who is an active civil society and youth activist for more than 2 decades with both Local and International Exposure in Youth &Development Work, Leadership & Governance, Civic Empowerment &Electoral processes; holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Governance and Leadership from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Kenya and a Bachelor of Arts in Development Studies from   Kimmage DSC, Ireland (All gotten from MS TCDC, Arusha). He has served in a Development work, Governance and Deepening Local democracy both as CEO and as a consultant, mentor, Coach, and Board member to Several Local and International organizations and networks.

Israel Ilunde’s areas of expertise include Organization Development, Election monitoring and Observation,Youth work, Governance &Leadership training,

Policy Analysis, Evidence-based Advocacy, Strategic Planning, Project management, conflict management, Entrepreneurship training, Monitoring, and evaluation.

Additionally, Ilunde is good at Organizing, Facilitating and Moderating professional Events (Both online and physical), rapporteur and report writing, Mentoring and Coaching in Leadership, Politics, Youth work and Development, Advocacy as well networking.

Semkae Kilonzo began work at Policy Forum in 2007 as the lead responsible for media, communication and advocacy at the network’s secretariat office as part of the organisation’s desire to see policy analysis information widely disseminated to policy makers, civil society and the general public. He has since assumed the role of Coordinator, heading the Secretariat. He is also on the Steering Committee of the Global Movement for Budget Transparency, Accountability and Participation (BTAP).

Semkae holds a Masters degree in Journalism and Media Studies from Cardiff University, U.K. and received his earlier media training in Dublin Ireland and the Tanzania School of Journalism. He is also an alumnus of the Public Service Accountability Monitor (Fundamentals of Social Accountability Monitoring Course) of Rhodes University, South Africa. Among his many interests, Semkae is passionate about encouraging public participation in policy making and championing the equitable use of public resources.

He has since assumed the role of Coordinator, heading the Secretariat. Semkae, is in the Policy Forum Board as the Board Secretary.

In his 10 years’ working experience as a professional accountant, he has served as the Chief Accountant at Tanzania Public Service College. Currently, he is the Finance and Administration Manager at WAJIBU – Institute of Public Accountability (an NGO).

He has extensive hands-on experience in leadership and management of the finance/accounting and human resource. For the past seven years, CPA Jackson has been engaged in governance issues and public financial management where he has conducted rapid desk reviews, undertake consultancy and advisory assignments, conduct political economy analysis, research and publications in Tanzania and across East Africa.

Frank Girabi is a Program Management Specialist with over 18 years of experience in working with a range of civil society organizations and international organizations in strategic planning, design and implementation of livelihoods, education, youth, and policy programs, that promote rights-based approaches to empowering at-risk communities, fostering decent employment, participation, social accountability, social inclusion, and justice. Mr . Girabi is passionate about addressing injustice of poverty on a global scale and a founder of the Ripple Development Initiative – RDI, an NGO dedicated to community development. He is also a key member of VSO -Tanzania senior management team and holds a master’s degree in Natural Resource Assessment and Management.

Badru Juma Rajabu is a Senior Coordinator Policy and Advocacy at Restless Development, a leading youth-led development agency that have been working in Tanzania since 1993 and have established an impressive track record in delivering grassroots impact through youth led development programmes aligned to the Government of Tanzania’s Consecutive National Development Plans. Previously Badru worked at the UN Global Compact as a sustainability lead and Program Associate, supporting Tanzania`s Business to align their strategies and operations with universal principles of human rights, labour, and anti-corruption, and take action that address society goals.

Gwamaka has over 19 years of development management experience, working with various local and International NGOs in Tanzania coordinating a range of livelihoods programs across sectors; Natural Resource Management, conflicts management and interfaith coexistence. He has intensive experience in facilitating organisational and institutional capacity building, policy analysis, influencing and communications. Gwamaka possesses a strong background in facilitating agribusiness, cooperative and association development with a major emphasis on transparent, accountability and business-like operations for sustainability. Gwamaka holds a Master's degree in Community Economic Development from Southern New Hampshire University and received previous education at the National Social Welfare Training Institute in Dar es salaam. Gwamaka is interested in issues related to building community resilience, accountability, and inclusive growth. He is also an alumnus of the Rhodes University centre for Public Service Accountability Monitor (PSAM). Gwamaka is currently working at Norwegian Church Aid as Advocacy and Partnerships Manager.