Tecla Namachanja Wanjala (PhD), is a Team Lead for Shalom Centre for Counselling and Development (SCCODEV), a local NGO in Kenya supporting social healing among communities affected by violent conflicts. She is also one of the eminent members of the Kenya’s National Peace and Mediation Team (NPMT).
Doctor Wanjala is a globally recognized peace builder, trauma healing, and transitional justice specialist. A nominee for the 1,000 Women for the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize, she is also a recipient of the 2019 Peace Builder of the Year Award offered by the Centre for Justice and Peace of Eastern Mennonite University, USA).
In her most recent engagements, she was contracted as an expert and advisor to USAID/KEA’s Democracy, Governance, Peace, and Security (DGPS) office, advising on election conflict, electoral violence, conflict prevention and mitigation, and early warning mechanisms during the 2022 Kenya’s general elections. In 2020 she was one of the experts contracted by Pegasys’ as the Peace and Security Specialist during the development of the African Development bank (AfDB's) New Strategy on Addressing Fragility and Building Resilience in Africa. In 2017, she was a member of a small team of experts put together by UNDP and Swiss Peace to support Zimbabwe’s National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) process.
Previously, in 2007-2008, she worked for Pact International as Deputy Chief of Party, and later as Chief of Party for Peace in East and Central Africa (PEACE II and PEACE III) Programs. Through the two regional programs, her team worked to enhance the ability of communities and grass root peace committees to respond to cross-border conflicts especially among pastoralist living in Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, Uganda, South Sudan. Earlier on, from 2005-2006, Wanjala served as an In-House Consultant for Peace Building in JICA’s Regional Support Office for Eastern and Southern Africa supporting post conflict reconstruction in South Sudan, and Burundi.
Wanjala has travelled extensively across the world in Africa, Europe, Asia, and the United States of America to offer courses, trainings and presentations/talks on matters related to peace/conflict, transitional justice, and social/trauma healing.
From 2009 to 2013, Wanjala served her country as a Vice Chairperson and Acting Chairperson of the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC). As the Acting Chairperson of TJRC, she steered the commission amidst challenges and controversies for eighteen (18) months to the successful completion of its term and mandate.
During her Research Fellowship, she will spend time to reflect on her work as Acting Chairperson of TJRC and write a book giving insights into Kenya’s turbulent Truth-Seeking process as the country tried to confront her painful past so as to heal and reconcile her people.
PhD in Peace and Conflict Studies from Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (2008-2013). Courses studied included:
• Advanced Seminar in Peace and Conflict Studies.
• Global Politics, Diplomacy and Foreign Policy.
• Advanced Research Methodology in Peace and Conflict Studies.
• Democracy, Human Rights and Development.
• Regime Types and Conflict; Peace Paths in Conflict.
The Ph.D. thesis was on Trauma Intervention Methods and Healing among the Sabaot Community during the 2006 to 2008 violence in Mt. Elgon, Kenya. The study investigated both traditional and non-traditional methods of trauma intervention and healing among indigenous people. The Sabaot community was used as a case study. The reason for exploring traditional methods is because for transformative trauma healing, especially among indigenous people such as traditional Africans, it is important to consider their culture and traditions. This is because their lifestyle including issues of health and ill-health is guided by their cultures and traditions.
Master of Arts (M.A) in Conflict Transformation from Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg Virginia, USA (2001-2003). The courses studied were:
• Intermediary Roles & practice 1 (this is about mediating in cases involving individuals in conflict)
• Intermediary Roles & practice 11 (this concerns facilitating group dialogue)
• Philosophy and Methods of conflict research
• Restorative Justice and contemporary conflicts
• Comparative Approaches to Conflict (this is about theories of conflict)
• Introduction to conflict Transformation
• Non-Violence and Conflict Transformation
• Fundamentals of peace building
• Trauma Healing and Reconciliation
• African understanding of trauma healing and reconciliation (this was done as an independent study)
• Globalization and Conflict (this was also done as an independent study)
• Women and Peace Building.
Diploma in Social Development Work from Embu Development Institute, Kenya (1989-1991).
Certificates in Peace Keeping and Human Rights from United Nations University based in Tokyo, Japan (2003).
Dr. Wanjala is currently a Research Scholar at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies. She is one of the eminent members of the National Peace and Mediation Team (NPMT) supported by the Inter-Religious Council of Kenya. During the just concluded August 2022 general elections, I served as an expert and advisor to USAID/KEA’s Democracy, Governance, Peace, and Security (DGPS) office, advising on election conflict, electoral violence, conflict prevention and mitigation, and early warning mechanisms. Since 2020 she has been working as a Team Lead for Shalom Center for Counseling and Development (SCCODEV) supporting social healing among communities affected by violent conflicts in Mt. Elgon Region, Kenya.
Pegasys Limited September 2020 – October 2021: She was contracted as Peace and Security Specialist during the development of the New AfDB's (African Development bank) Strategy on Addressing Fragility and Building Resilience in Africa.
Green String Network, (GSN) 2016- 2017 (Nairobi, Kenya)
Program Manager: Worked as a manager of a Social Healing and Reconciliation program for communities from violent conflict regions in Kenya under Green String Network (see www.green-string.org) where she committed 50% of her time. Green String Network created a framework known as Kumekucha (it’s a New Dawn) in partnership with the Office of the President for community healing and social reconciliation for the Coastal Communities in Kilifi, Lamu and Tana River Counties. Coast is one of the Regions in Kenya that has suffered from historical injustices and marginalization that have left communities traumatized and vulnerable to incitement to aggression. The main objective of Kumekucha program is to resolve and prevent violent conflicts. Under GSN, she supervised three (3) Project Coordinators and four (4) Program Directors.
National Peace and Reconciliation Commission 2017 (Harare, Zimbabwe)
Member of the Committee of Experts: Was a member of a small team of experts put together by UNDP and Swiss Peace to support Zimbabwe’s National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) process.
Pact International, 2014-2015 (Nairobi, Kenya)
Chief of Party for Peace in East and Central Africa (PEACE III) Program: PEACE III was a regional program aimed at enhancing the ability of communities and grass root peace committees to respond to cross-border conflicts especially in the Somali and Karamoja Clusters. Provided strategic leadership and direction, defining, and implementing activities to achieve the program’s objectives. Maintained solid cooperation with partner and donor organizations (such as USAID) and government officials. Managed external relations by representing the project and the organization at public fora and ensuring the appropriate distribution of information about project achievements and lessons learned.
Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC), 2009-2013 (Nairobi, Kenya).
The late Kofi Annan conversing with Tecla Namachanja during a peace meeting in Nairobi, Kenya.
Acting Chair & Commissioner: Served as acting Chair of TJRC from 2010 to 2012. Steered TJRC amidst challenges and controversies for 18 months to the successful completion of its term and mandate. The tasks she accomplished under TJRC included representing and speaking on behalf of the commission; leading public hearing sessions; undertaking research related to the work of TJRC; leading the drafting of the report, among other roles.
Pact Kenya, 2007-2009 (Nairobi, Kenya)
Deputy Chief of Party for Peace in East and Central Africa (PEACE II) Program: PEACE II was a regional program that aimed at improving the ability of local communities and peace committees to respond to cross-border conflict especially in the Somali and Karamoja Clusters. Nationally, through Pact’s Kenya Civil Society Strengthening Program (KCSSP) in collaboration with Coalition for Peace in Africa (COPA), spearheaded the trauma healing processes in response to 2007/2008 Post Election Violence in Kenya.
JICA’s Regional Support Office for Eastern and Southern Africa, 2005-2008 (Nairobi, Kenya)
In-House Consultant- Peace Building: Worked for Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) since January 2005 to February 2008 as an In-House consultant in Peace Building and Post Conflict Reconstruction for Eastern and Southern Africa. The work entailed providing consultancy in the areas of information collection and analysis, conducting studies, formulating peace building and post conflict reconstruction project plans.
Peace and Development Network (PEACENET), 1996-2003
National Coordinator: PEACENET is a national umbrella organization for Faith groups, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and Community Based Organizations (CBOs) working to transform conflicts in Kenya. Coordinated member’s activities; managed the secretariat including fundraising and mobilizing resources for the organization; organized coalition and advocacy meetings around issues of conflict and human right abuses. Also facilitated information, resources and experience sharing among the members.
Bungoma Diocese, 1993-1995.
Relief and Rehabilitation Coordinator: Was coordinator for relief and rehabilitation for 40,000 Victims of Ethnic Clashes (Bungoma & Mount Elgon). Through this period, journeyed with Kenyans internally displaced People (IDP) of the 1991/2 ethnic clashes starting with registration and formation of management structures in the camps, food purchase and distribution. Also organized for medical care through referral hospitals and mobile clinics to the camps.
Utange Refugee Camp (Mombasa), 1991-1992
Social Worker cum Teacher: Apart from teaching Kiswahili in the Refugee school established by the Catholic Diocese of Mombasa, organized single mothers into groups, based on their skills for income generating activities. Worked under the Catholic Diocese of Mombasa.