📢 Breaking
HISTORIC ANNOUNCEMENT BILLIONS IN DIASPORA-BACKED DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT EXPECTED TO TRANSFORM COMMUNITIES ACROSS KENYA:**Nairobi, Kenya — Special Report** In what observers are describing as one of the most ambitious diaspora-led initiatives in recent history, a coalition of influential Kenyan professionals, investors, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and business leaders living abroad has unveiled a comprehensive national support framework aimed at accelerating development, leadership empowerment, economic growth, and community transformation throughout Kenya. The announcement follows months of consultations involving members of the Kenyan diaspora community, development experts, business leaders, youth representatives, and community organizations who share a common vision of strengthening opportunities for future generations. The initiative, expected to unfold over several years, is designed to mobilize substantial financial resources, technical expertise, professional mentors HISTORIC ANNOUNCEMENT BILLIONS IN DIASPORA-BACKED DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT EXPECTED TO TRANSFORM COMMUNITIES ACROSS KENYA:**Nairobi, Kenya — Special Report** In what observers are describing as one of the most ambitious diaspora-led initiatives in recent history, a coalition of influential Kenyan professionals, investors, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and business leaders living abroad has unveiled a comprehensive national support framework aimed at accelerating development, leadership empowerment, economic growth, and community transformation throughout Kenya. The announcement follows months of consultations involving members of the Kenyan diaspora community, development experts, business leaders, youth representatives, and community organizations who share a common vision of strengthening opportunities for future generations. The initiative, expected to unfold over several years, is designed to mobilize substantial financial resources, technical expertise, professional mentors
KDGI Login Join
Leadership & Secretariat

The people behind KDGI

A senior, multi-disciplinary team combining decades of international governance experience with deep on-the-ground Kenyan expertise — united by one mission: transparent, accountable leadership for Kenya.

KDGI leadership team group photo
The KDGI leadership team and Board of Trustees at the 2025 annual diaspora convening, Nairobi.

Office of the Chair

Strategic direction, board oversight and international partnerships.

Robert J. Whitman, Co-Founder & Chair

Robert J. Whitman

Co-Founder & Chair, Board of Trustees

A retired American policy advisor with over four decades of experience in international development, electoral integrity and diaspora engagement across Sub-Saharan Africa. Robert co-founded KDGI to channel global goodwill into measurable governance outcomes for Kenya. He chairs the Board of Trustees and the Independent Audit Committee.

Former Senior Advisor, IFES · Fellow, Carter Center · MPA, Harvard Kennedy School

James Otieno, National Coordinator

James Otieno

National Coordinator & Secretariat Lead

A Nairobi-based civic leader and former county governance officer. James runs the KDGI Secretariat, oversees on-the-ground operations, chapter coordination and aspirant vetting — ensuring every shilling raised reaches a credible, audited Kenyan campaign.

Former County Governance Officer, Kisumu · LL.B, University of Nairobi · MA Public Policy, Strathmore

Executive Secretariat

Operations, compliance, finance, technology and communications.

Wanjiru Kamau

Wanjiru Kamau

Director of Operations

Oversees membership services, chapter logistics and donor stewardship across all seven diaspora regions.

MBA, USIU-Africa · 12+ yrs civic operations

Dr. Samuel Kiprono

Dr. Samuel Kiprono

Head of Governance & Compliance

Leads aspirant vetting, KYC, AML and the independent audit framework that underpins every disbursement.

PhD Law, University of Pretoria · Advocate of the High Court of Kenya

Amina Hassan

Amina Hassan

Director of Communications

Shapes the public voice, media partnerships and the quarterly transparency reports the community relies on.

MA Journalism, City University London · Former BBC Africa producer

Brian Ouma

Brian Ouma

Chief Technology Officer

Builds and secures the platform, payment integrations and the open-data dashboards we publish for members.

BSc Computer Science, JKUAT · ex-Safaricom engineering

Grace Achieng

Grace Achieng, CPA

Treasurer & Head of Finance

Custodian of donor funds, reconciliation and the published quarterly financial statements.

CPA-K · MSc Finance, Strathmore · Member, ICPAK

Michael Thompson

Michael Thompson

Regional Director — North America

Champions engagement with Kenyan communities across the United States, Canada and partner foundations.

JD, Georgetown Law · Diaspora policy fellow

Board of Trustees

Independent oversight and fiduciary responsibility.

Hon. Justice (Rtd.) M. Wachira

Independent Trustee · Chair, Ethics Committee

Retired judge of the High Court of Kenya; oversees the platform's ethics, conflict-of-interest and aspirant-vetting framework.

Prof. L. Mwangi

Independent Trustee · Civil Society

Professor of Political Science, Kenyatta University; lead author of three landmark studies on diaspora civic engagement in East Africa.

P. Njoroge, FCA

Independent Auditor · Audit Committee

Partner at an international audit firm; signs off the platform's quarterly transparency reports and independent audit letter.

Regional Chapter Leads

Elected coordinators for each diaspora region.

USA

Michael Thompson

Houston, TX

UK

Esther Wambui

London

Canada

Daniel Kariuki

Toronto, ON

Australia

Lucy Wairimu

Sydney, NSW

Europe

Ibrahim Mwangi

Hamburg, DE

Gulf

Faith Mutuku

Dubai, UAE

Africa

Joseph Omondi

Kampala, UG

National (KE)

James Otieno

Nairobi

Support our work — Donate Governance & charter Contact the team