This project seeks to strengthen research and policy capacity that enables policy leaders in the Global south to respond to rapidly changing digital environments and helps ensure they use objective, high quality research to inform decisions on digital policy related issues. Through the funding support, CIPIT will be able to produce knowledge in key cyber policy areas in innovation, security and rights.
Dr. Rutenberg:
Dr. Rutenberg is the Director of CIPIT and a senior lecturer at the Strathmore Law School.
He has a BS in Math/Computer Science, a BS in Chemistry, a PHD in Chemistry, and a JD in Law, all from universities in the United States.
Dr. Rutenberg is actively involved in guiding intellectual property and information technology policy and academic work in Kenya through his research activities, blogging, direct interaction with governments, and civil society interactions.
Alberto J. Cerda Silva:
Alberto J. Cerda Silva is tenured assistant professor in law and technology at the University of Chile Law School. As a former Fulbright Commission scholar, he holds a doctoral degree from Georgetown University with a dissertation on human rights, copyright, and internet regulation in Latin America. Currently, he is program officer at the Ford Foundation’s International Technology and Society Program, from where he supports organizations advancing internet policies from a social justice and human rights viewpoint worldwide. E-mail: acerda@uchile.cl
Dr Melisssa Omino:
Dr Omino holds an LLB (University Of Fort Hare), LLM (Stellenbosch University) and an LLD (University of Fort Hare). She is a member of the Kenyan Bar and practices law as a Partner in MJD Associates LLP in Nairobi, Kenya.
Melissa has a special interest in intellectual property. Her current focus is academic research in the niche area of pharmaceutical patents and international trade in relation to the phenomena of “evergreening”. Melissa is also co-founder of the IPCheckIn a monthly meeting of IP enthusiasts that includes patent examiners, attorneys, professors, musicians and law students who offer their services in IP awareness and knowledge dissemination pro bono in Kenya.
Caroline Wanjiru:
Wanjiru is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya with 9 years post admission experience. She has practiced law in Kenya under various capacities with a bias on intellectual property law, corporate and commercial law.
She is working on the intersection of Intellectual Property Law, innovation, start-ups, tech hubs and technology with an aim of informing the policy making process in Kenya.
Wanjiru is passionate about agriculture and the law, women empowerment and intellectual property and its interface with the law. She is a convener, strategist, organizer and a participant of various IP forums in Nairobi and a two-time judge for IP and ICT Moot Court held at Strathmore Law School.
Grace Mutung’u:
Grace is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya.
Her research interests are on ICT policy in Kenya and Africa, with a specialization in digital rights, governance and development. She has been involved in ICT policy processes for over 10 years.
She has a Master of Arts in Contemporary Diplomacy from the University of Malta in 2016. She holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Nairobi and a post graduate diploma from Kenya School of Law. She also holds a higher diploma in Information Systems Management from Strathmore University.
Malcolm Kijirah:
Malcolm is currently working as a project consultant on the CYRILLA initiative. His focus primarily is on technology law and policy.
He is also a partner at Victor Lee Advocates a Corporate/Commercial law firm in Nairobi, Kenya specializing in in Technology Law and Project Advisory. Prior to practicing in Kenya, Malcolm practiced for 8 years from 2008 - 2016 in Australia as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, Australia.
Betty Murithi:
Betty holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Strathmore University in Finance and Business Administration, a CPA 5, and an MBA in Finance from USIU-Africa (2020).
She joined the team in 2014 overseeing all the administrative and finance functions of the Centre. Beyond CIPIT, she enjoys conversations on wealth creation, financial freedom and entrepreneurship.
Mitchel Ondili:
Mitchel has an LLB from Strathmore Law School. She is passionate about the intersection of technology and existing inequalities.
Jentrix Wanyama:
Jentrix holds an LL.B from Strathmore Law School, and a diploma in Constitutional Law from Pazmany Peter Catholic University, Hungary. She is currently a pursuing a Post Graduate Diploma at Kenya School of Law.
She is interested in bringing about the innovation evident in technology to the law, and has a research interest in the intersection between technology and traditional areas of law, particularly human rights and constitutional law.
Beatrice Mungai:
Beatrice holds an LLB from the Strathmore Law School and currently pursuing a Law Diploma in the Kenya School of Law. She is a privacy enthusiast with keen interests on gender and technology.
Cynthia Nzuki:
Cynthia holds an LLB degree from the Strathmore Law School and is currently undertaking her Advocates Training Programme at the Kenya School of Law. Her interests lie in Intellectual Property Law and how proper securing of intellectual property rights can positively impact individuals and the society through the advancement and growth of the innovative and creative sectors; which in turn will lead to economic growth.
Mercy King’ori:
Mercy has an LLB from Strathmore University. Her interests are in the intersection of the law with technology. She has been actively involved in ICT related laws and policies and numerous other projects that look at the how ICTs interact with human right
Paul Kithinji:
Paul is a certified Mediator and holds a Law degree from the University of Nairobi Class of 2019. Currently, he pursuing a Post Graduate Diploma at the Kenya School of Law.
He is a Fintech, Privacy and Digital Rights enthusiast, passionate about the nexus between law and technology, and the development of technology and law in Africa and the global south.
Godana Galma:
Godana holds an LLB from Strathmore Law School and is currently undertaking the Advocates Training Program at the Kenya School of Law.
His research interests are on the impacts of policy on digital rights as well as the relation between IP protection and human development.
Prof Luis G. Franceschi:
Prof Luis G. Franceschi, LLB, LL.M, LL.D is Founding Dean of Strathmore University Law
School, which is today regarded as one of the most reputable and innovative law schools in
Africa. As a thinker, educator and writer, he loves positive and disruptive innovation. He is
currently engaged on the Courts of the Future initiative, where he has brought together
academia, practitioners, governments and judicial officers to transform the way justice
systems operate in Africa. He is the recipient of the 2018 Utumishi Bora National Award in
Research & Writing, the 2016 Australian Award and Visiting Fellowship at Griffith Law
School (Brisbane) and he has been appointed as Visiting Fellow of Mansfield College during
his visit to Oxford.
His area of expertise focuses on the convergence between Constitutional law and Public
International Law “the constitutional regulation of the foreign affairs power”. He is also a
legal advisor to several national and international government agencies, commissions and
programmes, including international and regional courts, the United Nations and the World
Bank. He sits on several boards: Transparency International (Kenya), the International
Justice Commission (The Hague), the African Prisons Project (London), the Africa Legal
Network (ALN) Academy (Mauritius), the International Association of Law Schools (New
York), among others.
His latest publications include “The Rule of Law, Human Rights and Judicial Control of
Power”, Springer; “Judicial Independence and Accountability in Light of judiciary Code of Conduct and Ethics of Kenya” ICJ Kenya; “The Cost of the Constitution in Kenya: A Cost
Analysis of the New Governance Framework Introduced by the 2010 Constitution of Kenya”,
Harvard Africa Policy Review; “The Constitution of Kenya; A Commentary” (a 900-page
article by article commentary of the Constitution), SUP (second edition); and “The African
Human Rights Judicial System; Streamlining Structures and Domestications Mechanisms
Viewed from the Foreign Affairs Power Perspective”. He is also a weekly columnist with the
Daily Nation Newspaper (Kenya). He has also conducted executive leadership courses for
CEOs in more than 25 countries. He is a Kenyan citizen and resides in Nairobi.
Angela Wasunna:
Angela Wasunna is Vice President, Emerging Markets Policy at Pfizer. In her role, she is responsible for leading the development and implementation of a coordinated approach to advance business-focused policy issues related to drug pricing, intellectual property, health systems, healthcare financing and regulatory reform in Emerging Markets. Previously Angela was Assistant General Counsel, Intellectual Property Policy in Pfizer’s Legal Division.
Angela received her law degree from the University of Nairobi Kenya, and advanced law degrees from McGill University, Canada and Harvard Law School. She is admitted to practice law in the State of New York and is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya.
Before moving to Pfizer, Angela was Associate for International Programs at the Hastings Center for Bioethics, New York. At the Hastings Center, she managed projects on intellectual property rights, market mechanisms in health systems, and public health policy.
Angela has also served as consultant to several agencies including the World Health Organization, the Institute of Medicine (IOM), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the World Health Organization, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank and the Department for International Development, UK (DFID). Angela has published several peer-reviewed articles in academic journals, and lectured internationally.
She is co-author of the book: Medicine and the Market: Equity v Choice, Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006.
Marisella Ouma:
Marisella Ouma is a lawyer and an advocate of the High Court of Kenya, with expertise in Intellectual Property (IP) Law based in Nairobi, Kenya. She is currently the Head of Legal at the Central Bank of Kenya and has been a parttime/visiting lecturer at the University of Nairobi, Strathmore University and the Africa University. She is also an online tutor at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Academy. She holds a PhD in Law from Queen Mary, University of London. She is a Member of the Law Society of Kenya and the Institute of Certified Secretaries in Kenya. She previously worked as the Deputy Solicitor General, Legal Advisory and Research, Office of the Attorney General and Department of Justice and was the founding Executive Director of the KECOBO. She has also served on the Board of the KIPI as well as the Board of the Anti-Counterfeit Agency (ACA).
Prof. Githu Muigai:
Professor Githu Muigai hold an LLB and a PhD from the University of Nairobi, an LLM from the Colombia University Law School and Diploma in law from the Kenya School of Law. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb). He was called to the Bar in 1985. He specializes in public procurement law, corporate finance, civil and commercial litigation. In addition to the practice of Law, he is the immediate former Attorney General of the Republic of Kenya.
Florence Ogonjo:
Florence is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, with three years’ experience post admission.
Her interests are in the intersection of human rights with technology.
She is a social impact enthusiast and a member of Vitabu Vyetu Foundation.
