KEMRI Management Staff Participate in East Africa Regional Conference on Public Administration and Regional Integration

By Dr. Luna Kamau

A delegation from the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) management staff participated in the East Africa Regional Conference on “Advancing Regional Integration and Public Value in East Africa: Ethical, Digital and Results-Driven Public Administration,” held from 8th to 11th June 2026 at Diamonds Bijoux, Zanzibar.

The KEMRI team comprised Director, Corporate Services Mr. Jones Otuke, Acting Director, Strategic Planning, Performance and Grants Management, Dr. Zipporah Bukania Acting Corporation Secretary & Director Legal services, Ms. Margret Rigoro, Senior Principal Scientist Centre for Biomedical Research and Development Dr. Luna Kamau, and Deputy Director, Administration Mr. Musau Kyanesa.

The conference was officially opened by Deputy Head of Public Service, Republic of Kenya Mr. Amos Gathesha, who was accompanied by Principal Secretary, State Department for Cabinet Affairs Dr. Idris Dokota. The event brought together regional public administration leaders and practitioners under the joint organization of the Kenya Association for Public Administration and Management, the Kenya School of Government, the Africa Association for Public Administration and Management, and the Institute of Public Administration–Zanzibar.

Discussions during the conference focused on strengthening the role of public institutions in delivering the East African Community (EAC) Vision 2050. Key thematic areas included framing regional integration for public value, ethical and accountable public administration, and the advancement of seamless public service delivery across the region.

Participants emphasized the importance of ethical governance and public trust as foundational pillars for regional integration, alongside strengthening professional standards, codes of conduct, and staff welfare within the public service. The conference also highlighted the need to enhance performance management, monitoring, and accountability systems to improve public service delivery outcomes.

In addition, deliberations underscored the role of digital transformation in enabling interoperable government systems, improving digital trade facilitation, strengthening port operations, and promoting accountable revenue service systems across East Africa.

The “take-home message” from the conference reaffirmed the vision of a future East African public service that is fully integrated, ethical, and results-driven in support of the EAC Vision 2050. Public institutions were encouraged to align their strategic plans with regional integration priorities and incorporate the EAC Vision 2050 into institutional frameworks to enhance cross-border collaboration and service delivery.

KEMRI’s participation reflects its continued commitment to strengthening institutional governance, regional collaboration, and adopting best practices in public administration to support its research and public health mandate across the region