The Institute for Policy Interaction (IPI), Malawi, is an independent and autonomous policy think tank established and registered in 2001 under the company limited by guarantee. The organization aims to promote good governance through an interactive approach to policy issues. Over the years, IPI has earned public trust and confidence in influencing public policy by the executive and legislative branches of government, civil society, and the people. IPI has been involved in many critical strategic areas of democracy and development, such as strengthening democratic institutions, policy research, advocacy and grassroots empowerment, promoting unity, dialogue and peace and mitigating conflicts.
Our BOARD members
Ollen Mwabulunju: Board Chairman
Ollen Mwalubunju is a governance and policy analyst with over 20 years of working experience in Africa with Governments, Regional Economic Communities and African Union, Parliaments and Civil Society Organisations.
He has worked as the Executive Director of the National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE), a Public Trust whose mandate is to contribute towards good governance and democracy through civic and voter education.
He is a former Commissioner for the Malawi Human Rights Commission, a founding Executive Director of the Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) in Malawi, a Senior Program Manager of the Centre for Conflict Resolution in South Africa and a founder member of the Malawi Electoral Support Network (MESN).
Ollen holds a Master’s Degree in Policy Studies specializing in International Relations from the University of Zimbabwe, FortHare and Dar-es-Salaam. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and Public Administration from Makerere University.
Justin Dzonzi.
He is a well known legal practitioner who has over the years also worked as a commissioner of the Malawi Human Rights Commission.
Dzonzi has been promoting human rights for years in Malawi.
Monalisa Gomani
Monalisa is the current National Finance Officer of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). Between 2014 and 2021, She was also Member of the Board of Directors of United Nations SACCO as well as Chairperson of the Finance and Audit Sub-Committee of the Board.
Monalisa has over 15 years’ experience covering financial management including planning and budgeting, accounting and financial reporting, treasury management, governance, operations management including procurement, recruitment, human resource management, general organisation management and administration.
Before joining WFP, Monalisa served as Head of Finance and Administration of Institute for Policy Interaction (IPI). She holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Bolton (UK) and a Bachelor of Accountancy Degree.
She is currently studying for a chartered accountant professional qualification with the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA).
Bamusi is one of Malawi’s most prolific human rights activists. Mavuto began his career campaigning against President Banda’s regime as a student of Malawi University.
He went on to promote good governance at grass roots and national levels, first with the German NGO GTZ, and then with the Malawi Economic Justice Network.
With MEJN, Mavuto lobbied for debt relief and raised awareness among ordinary Malwians about the wider trade architecture which Malawi was implicated in.
Today, Mavuto and is currently working on issues around trade, privatisation and good governance.
oUR TECHNICAL TEAM
Dr Nandin Patel: Executive Director:
Patel is a Political Scientist and has been in academia for over three decades. Her research focuses mainly on democratisation, focusing on political parties and elections in the SADC region.
Patel was a Board member of the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA).
She also served as a Commissioner on the Special Law Commission on electoral reforms in Malawi in 2018. Her passion is to extend support towards the upliftling of the vulnerable and the marginalised sections of society.
Praise Mwenegamba- Program Officer.
Praise holds a Bachelor of Social Science in Development Studies with distinction (2017) obtained from University of Livingstonia, and Advanced Diploma in Community Development with Higher Credit (2012) from Association of Business Managers and Administrators (ABMA-UK) in through Soche Technical College.
He has over the years done numerous short courses and holds certificates of attendance in Pediatric Aids Treatment for Africa (PATA), Monitoring and Evaluation (SRGDI), Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change from African Centre for Disaster Studies (ACDS), and BRIDGE Boundary Delimitation
He has previously worked for Sustainable Development Initiative (SDI), Michigan State University (USA), as project Manager for Malawi Candidates Survey (MCS): Cost of Politics in Malawi project. African Centre for Disaster Studies (North-West University) as Research Assistant (Malawi) and co-author of the research report on ‘’Measuring the Contribution of Disaster Risk Reduction Interventions in Agriculture and Food Security to Resilience in Southern Africa (2013) and Views from Frontline survey in Malawi to review the implementation of Hyogo Framework of Action at Local Government in the 2011. Praise has also worked as Project Officer for and Mtendere Elections Support Network (Mtendere Network) and a part time Trainer of Trainers (ToT) in short courses in; Disaster Risk Reduction, Project Management, Gender and Advocacy with Eduquip Consultants.
He has more than 10 years of progressively knowledge and practical work experience in project designing, implementation, co-ordination, monitoring and evaluation and management of integrated community-based development programmes in; Disaster Risks Reduction and Climate Change, Humanitarian Aid, Governance, Advocacy, Research and Environment and Natural Resource Management (ENRM), Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and Policy Analysis.
Richard Kusseni: Monitoring and Evaluation Officer.
Richard is an experienced practitioner and researcher in social sciences, livelihoods, and agriculture with over 10 years’ experience in supporting livelihood project designs, baseline studies and evaluation.
Key areas include project design, implementation and developing Monitoring and Evaluation frameworks. Richard has reputable recognition in conducting Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice (KAP) studies to inform effective and efficient program implementation.
Romana Gaffar: Research Officer.
Romana graduated from the Univeristy of Manchester in 2023 with a Masters of Science in International Development and is also a holder of Bachelors of Science in Global Business.
Her areas of interests include politics, social issues, reading and travel.
Joseph Dumbula: Communications Officer
Joseph, a Malawian journalist, accredited by the Media Council of Malawi (MCM).
He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication and Cultural Studies from the University of Malawi, Chancellor College.
His areas of interest are human rights, new media, politics and governance.
FOUNDER
our mission
To facilitate the evolution of a participatory democracy that upholds the cardinal values of equality and justice – nationally and internationally.
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Email us through: Malawi.ipi@outlook.com
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