University of Nairobi

​

Prof. Albert Mumma has 30 years’ experience in legal consultancy and private legal practice. He is a specialist in the legal and policy arrangements relating to institutional restructuring and the regulation of utilities; private-public partnership arrangements in the infrastructure sector; community organizations, energy, environmental and natural resources law.

​

Prof. Mumma has worked professionally at national, regional, and international levels. His experience includes assignments in the UK, Eritrea, Somaliland, Kenya, Uganda, Lesotho, Burundi and DR Congo. Prof Mumma prepared the initial draft of the Water Act in 2002, the Kenya Roads Board Act, 1999 and the Kenya Railways Amendment Act 2005, the Water Act, 2016, the Natural Resources (Classes of Transactions Subject to Ratification) Act, 2016 among others.

​

​

​

​

​

University of Oxford

​

Rob Hope is Professor of Water Policy at the School of Geography and the Environment and the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment at the University of Oxford. His research interests focus on water policy, poverty, and economics, largely in Africa and Asia. He has worked with a team of Oxford researchers in Kenya since 2008 which has provided empirical evidence to support the incubation of the FundiFix model and the establishment of the WSMTF.  

​

In 2018, Prof Hope convened the Uptime consortium of five professional maintenance providers with operations in Central African Republic, Burkina Faso, Kenya and Uganda. In 2020, Prof Hope became a Trustee of the Uptime Catalyst Facility (UK Charity) designing and issuing results-based contracts for Uptime members supported by over USD1 million of concessionary funds from GIZ/BMZ, Aqua for All, Vitol Foundation, Osprey Foundation, Waterloo Foundation and Vox Impuls. In 2022, Uptime members have 1.5 million rural waters in seven African countries with contracts guaranteeing reliable water services. Ongoing work has the goal of providing safe drinking water services to 100 million rural people globally by 2030.

​

​

Ms. Wambui Gichuri has over 30 years of rich experience, knowledge and networks in the water sector having spent 20 years at the World Bank working in different capacities, including managing and leading regional water development and sanitation investment programs, dialogue with clients and partners in Latin America, the Caribbean, and in Africa. She subsequently worked at the African Development Bank as director for water development and sanitation responsible for leading and coordinating the bank’s efforts towards water security in Africa. Her last post in AfDB was Acting Vice-President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development where she oversaw a diverse program of over USD 11 billion investment.

Ms. Gichuri has a passion for mentoring, especially of young people, supporting their personal growth, leadership, and career development.

She holds a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Nairobi, a Bachelor of Philosophy in Economics, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Sociology from the same university.

​

Blackburn Associates Ltd

​

Robert Gakubia is an Independent Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene [Wash] Professional. He has been a Director of Blackburn Associates Ltd, a water, sanitation, and hygiene development and management consultancy based in Nairobi, Kenya, since July 2021. Before his present vocation, he was the CEO of the Kenya Water Services Regulatory Board [Wasreb] from 2008 to 2021. Robert also worked as the Chief Engineer/Director of Water Services at the Ministry of Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation, a position he rose to after having held other senior positions in the Ministry. As Director and CEO, he was instrumental in implementing a transformative reform agenda to ensure a more accountable, responsive, well-capacitated, resourced, resilient, and progressive rural and urban water sector in Kenya aligned with the International Human Rights Framework and sound governance principles. He is well-versed in the infrastructure and the systems (institutions, people, finance, and regulations) required to provide water, sanitation, and hygiene services in rural and urban areas, and the attendant challenges. His current work focuses on advisory services for urban and rural water services financing, regulation, and integrity as crucial pillars for better and accountable water services, guided by the philosophy of leaving no one behind.

He is a Civil Engineering graduate from the University of Nairobi and an MSc graduate from UNESCO-IHE Delft in the Netherlands. He is a Consulting Engineer under the Engineers Board of Kenya and a Corporate Member of the Institution of Engineers of Kenya.

World Bank Group

​

Joy Busolo is a Senior Water Resources Management Specialist coordinating 2030 WRG country programs in the Africa Region. She joined the World Bank Group in 2016 as a consultant, working with the 2030 Water Resources Group Program in Nairobi, Kenya as the 2030 WRG Kenya Country Lead.

​

Her recent focus is expansion of the 2030 WRG into new geographies, supporting the establishment of multi-stakeholder platforms used as mechanisms to collectively design and development of projects and programs that catalyze private sector investment, enhance resilience and promote water-efficient practices in industry, agriculture and municipal water use through public private and civil society partnerships in Africa. 

​

Joy is a Chemical and Process Engineer (Moi University) by training with a Masters in Business Administration (University of Nairobi), a diploma in Public Policy (Strathmore University) and a Master of Commerce in Development Finance (University of Cape Town). 

Rural Focus Ltd

​

Mike is a registered Kenyan water and environmental engineer with a specialization in hydrology. His training and professional experience has covered hydrology, water resources, water storage, water supply and environmental engineering. He has 20+ years of professional experience on a variety of projects in East Africa, Botswana, Madagascar, the UK, and the USA. Mike is a Director of the consulting firm, Rural Focus Ltd. which draws together Kenyan and International expertise to provide professional services covering the planning, technical, institutional and management aspects of water supply and sanitation, water resource management and environmental services. 

 

Mike’s expertise and experience is extensive, covering hydrology, water resource management and water supply development. In this area Mike has extensive experience working as a professional engineer covering all aspects of project identification, design, construction supervision and contract management. His experience covers rainwater harvesting systems, storage dams, gravity and pumped water supply systems, smallholder irrigation schemes, and water treatment.

​

Independent Consultant

​

Emily is a strategic communications and knowledge management expert with 18 years of experience designing and implementing impactful strategies in the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sector. She has led high-profile communications initiatives across Africa, working with USAID programs, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, and Aqua for All to communicate water sector reforms, facilitate learning, and amplify the voices of communities and stakeholders.

Emily excels at translating complex initiatives into compelling narratives that drive action. Whether crafting impactful stories, shaping learning agendas, or managing communications for large-scale programs, her goal is to bridge information gaps and drive meaningful change through strategic storytelling and policy engagement. With a strong focus on WASH sector financing, Emily has successfully designed and facilitated dialogues at all levels, utilizing both standard and tailored communication tools to ensure inclusive participation.

She holds a Master’s degree in International Studies from the University of Nairobi and a Bachelor of Political Science and Sociology.