Leadership and Governance

Daniel Kobei is the Founder and Executive Director of the Ogiek Peoples' Development Program (OPDP), a Kenyan NGO advocating for the land and human rights of Indigenous Peoples. He is also the Executive Host Secretariat at Hunter Gatherer Forum-Kenya (HUGAFO-K). He is an Ogiek, a hunter-gatherer community and human rights defender with expertise in indigenous issues. He led the Ogiek to a landmark victory in May 2017 and a reparation judgment in June 2022 against the Kenyan government at the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights in Tanzania. He has extensive knowledge of biodiversity conservation, focusing on traditional knowledge and represents indigenous peoples at national, regional, and international levels.

Paul Lekapana is the Executive Director of Gurapau Group in Loyangalani, Marsabit County. He is the Chairperson at HUGAFO-K, leading the steering committee which is the decision-making body within the network. He is an Environmental Services Professional and a respected community leader from Loyangalani, belonging to the Elmolo community — one of the smallest and most unique indigenous groups in Kenya, residing along the shores of Lake Turkana. The Elmolo people have a rich cultural heritage deeply tied to fishing and the lake's ecosystem, and Paul has played a significant role in preserving and promoting this identity.

Judy is the Executive Director of Koibatek Ogiek Women and Youth Network (KOWYN) as well as the Vice-Chairperson at HUGAFO-K. She has over 10 years' experience in advocating for human and environmental rights. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from the University of Nairobi in Kenya and a Diploma in Journalism from the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication. Previously, she worked at Ogiek Peoples Development Program (OPDP) and Program For the Heritage of Ogiek and Mother Earth (PROHOME) before founding KOWYN. Judy has training in Paralegalism and Climate Justice, and has represented the Ogiek People and Indigenous peoples at high-level events including the inaugural African Climate Summit 2023.

Dr. Christopher Galgalo is the Executive Director of Wayuu Education and Development Program (WEDP). He is an educationist with extensive experience in educational management, research and curriculum design especially for pastoralist communities. He has significant experience in documentation and leadership, ensuring flexible responses which adapt to the needs of people in complex dynamic lifestyles or environments. Dr. Galgalo holds a PhD in Sociology of Education from Jawaharlal Nehru University, India. He has previously served as a member of the Agricultural Industry and Wages Council, Chairman of Educational Standards and Quality Assurance Council, National Council for Nomadic Education in Kenya, and Community Wildlife Conservancy and Compensation Committee, Marsabit County. He has also served as a lecturer, administrator and counsellor at various teachers' training colleges and high schools, and has made various presentations at conferences and in research publications.

Elias Kimaiyo Kibiwot is a human rights defender from the Sengwer, an indigenous hunter and gatherer community. He is the Executive Director of Sengwer of Embobut Community Based Organization (SECBO). The community has endured conflict with the government since the colonial era. Inspired by the perpetual forced evictions and human rights violations of the community, Elias joined community leaders advocating for the rights of the Sengwer community on land ownership. He is dedicated to serving his people towards overcoming all inhuman injustices to enable them to pursue their land ownership rights. Through his work of documenting human rights violations in the Embobut forest and sharing with local and international media houses, he has placed the Sengwer community at the forefront and used his documentation to reach out to international bodies to assist in publicizing ongoing violations.

Juliana Loshiro, a passionate teacher from northern Kenya, is leading a vital effort to revive the endangered Yaakunte language and preserve the culture of the Yaaku people. Through language lessons and environmental conservation initiatives in the Mukogodo Forest, she is empowering future generations to safeguard both their cultural heritage and the local ecosystem. By planting indigenous trees labeled with Yaakunte words, Loshiro is growing a "word forest," fostering a deeper connection between language, nature, and community. Her efforts offer hope for the revival of a language once thought to be lost, ensuring its legacy for generations to come.

Emanuel Kibet Meseng is a member of HUGAFO-K steering committee representing Chepkitale Indigenous Peoples Development Project (CIPDP), which is the Ogiek of Mt. Elgon's indigenous peoples' community organisation working to support the Ogiek community regain their ability to sustain and be sustained by their ancestral lands at Mt. Elgon, Kenya. The Ogiek Indigenous people of Mt. Elgon have faced evictions from their historical land, which they have conserved and protected since time immemorial. CIPDP intervenes by ensuring land tenure rights and peoples' rights are protected.

Mohamed Kitete is the Executive Director of Lamu Minority Peoples and Development Program. He is a dedicated community leader from the Aweer community in Lamu County, a marginalized indigenous group living along the coastal forests of Kenya. The Aweer people, also known as Boni, have a rich cultural heritage closely connected to the forest, relying traditionally on hunting, gathering, and small-scale livelihoods. Mohamed is particularly passionate about addressing the challenges facing the Aweer people, including historical marginalization, limited access to basic services, land and resource rights issues, and the impacts of conservation policies on their traditional way of life. Through his engagement in community forums and partnerships with civil society organizations, he has contributed to amplifying the voices of his community at both county and national levels.