Kenyan professor and historical political analyst, Dr Godwin Murunga
has been named the new and 7th Executive Secretary of Dakar-based Council
for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA), reports ITRealms.
Murunga, ITRealms
reports, until his appointment teaches
at the Institute of Development Studies of the University of Nairobi and would take over from the sixth Executive
Secretary of CODESRIA, Dr Ebrima Sall, whose eight-year tenure ends this year.
ITRealms gathered that
Murunga was the immediate past director of the Africa Leadership Centre in
Nairobi, and was a member of the Executive Committee of CODESRIA for two
consecutive terms (2005-2011). Thus, he brings to CODESRIA many years of robust
scholarship as evidenced by the incisive analysis that characterized his
numerous scholarly publications.
Additionally, he has valuable teaching and management experience
and a deep knowledge of the higher education landscape in Africa. His
appointment by the Executive Committee during its recent meeting in Accra
brings to a close a long search and selection process in which a high level pan
African Search Committee played a major role.
According to CODESRIA president, Professor Dzodzi Tsikata, the
appointment of dr. Murunga would be the sixth transition that CODESRIA has
successfully concluded in its 44-year history, stressing that Dr Murunga who
would take over from Dr Ebrima Sall, after his second and last term as
executive secretary is about to end.
He noted that in the eight years of Dr Sall’s tenure as executive
secretary, CODESRIA extended the frontiers of social research in its research,
training and publications programmes to cover issues such as higher education
leadership; democratic governance of natural resources in the context of
climate change; the gendered nature of fundamentalisms; security regimens; and
how Africans are creating futures for the continent, among others.
“Over the past three years, CODESRIA has also devoted great
attention to its own systems, processes, and engagements with its
constituencies and stakeholders, particularly the policy communities, and
carried out three thorough and comprehensive reviews of its governance,
management, and intellectual agenda. Following the reviews, the Council amended
its Charter, reconstituted its scientific committee, and developed a new
strategic plan, together with a roadmap for the full implementation of reforms,
all of which are aimed at making CODESRIA stronger and better positioned to
continue to play its agenda setting role in the advancement of the social sciences
and humanities in Africa,” he said.
As said by Prof. Tsikata, Dr Murunga is expected to work with the
Executive and Scientific Committees of CODESRIA to continue the path-breaking
work carried out by his predecessors that earned the Council the enviable
position of best think tank of Africa, and one of the best in the
world in development thinking, impact on public policy, and other areas in the
2016 GoTo Global Think Tanks Report.
Tsikata further said that in appointing him to the high office of
CODESRIA Executive Secretary, the Executive Committee considered Dr. Murunga
uniquely qualified for the position given his in-depth knowledge of CODESRIA, a
track record of robust scholarship and exemplary leadership, and his strong and
clear vision for CODESRIA’s future.
“It is therefore our expectation that he will bring his immense
gifts to the service of the organisation to ensure that CODESRIA grows from
strength to strength,” the president enthused.
Uj. N. Dominic/GEE
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