Ms. Watera is a Credentialed Evaluator with 17 years of experience in research, evaluation and evidence use systems in parliaments. Currently, she is the Assistant Director, Research Services and past Head of the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Division in the Parliament of Uganda. Ms. Watera leads her team to generate and synthesize evidence to inform budgeting, legislation and oversight decisions. She together with other colleagues has excellently organised key international conferences on parliaments including the 126th IPU meeting and the 64th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference.

Ms. Watera is a member of the Independent Evaluation Panel of the Global Fund and the Canadian Evaluation Society Ethics Working Group. She is a Council Member of the International Evaluation Academy. She is a former Board Member of the International Development Evaluation Association (IDEAS) representing Sub-Saharan Africa and the Vice-President of the Uganda Evaluation Association (UEA).

Ms. Watera is a PhD candidate in Programme Evaluation at the University of Cape Town.

Commissioner Timothy Lubanga serves as Commissioner for Monitoring and Evaluation at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) of Uganda, where he leads the national M&E function responsible for tracking the implementation of government programmes and policies across all sectors.

With extensive experience in public sector planning and evaluation systems, Commissioner Lubanga provides strategic direction to Uganda's national evidence-based decision-making framework. He plays a central role in embedding evaluation into Uganda's National Development Plan and ensuring that public investments are monitored for impact and accountability.

Commissioner Lubanga is a key voice on evaluation governance in Uganda and a champion for strengthening national capacity in monitoring, evaluation, and learning across government institutions.

Eugene Miheso Swinnerstone (Sphamandla) is a Senior M&E & ICT Consultant with over 14 years in research and evaluation. As Director of Programmes at Trend Systems E.A. LTD and a Part-time Lecturer at Ernest Cook University, he applies his expertise in qualitative analysis, evidence synthesis, M&E, and Information Systems to impactful projects and mentors future professionals. He also serves as a Digital Transformation Advisor, Blockchain Technologies consultant, and AI Utilization Trainer — staying at the forefront of innovation to drive organisational efficiency.

Eugene's career includes roles at Flock of Birds (Netherlands & Uganda), Itad (UK), and as a Part-time Lecturer at Uganda Technology and Management University and Makerere University. Academically, he is pursuing a PhD in Management at Mbarara University of Science & Technology and holds an Executive MBA.

A strong proponent of indigenous knowledge systems, Eugene integrates these perspectives into his evaluation assignments for culturally relevant outcomes. He is a mentor with the Eval Youth Global Mentorship Program (EYGMP) and the Filaha Innovation Programme at Mohammed VI University, Morocco. He serves as Academia Representative on the Uganda Evaluation Association Executive Committee, and is a member of the International Evaluation Academy (IEAc) and the Network for Education and Multidisciplinary Research Africa (NEMRA).

Dr. Almas Fortunatus Mazigo is a Senior Lecturer in Applied Ethics and Development Evaluation at the Dar es Salaam University College of Education (DUCE) in Tanzania. He pioneered and coordinates the Master of Arts in Development Evaluation (MADE) Programme at the University of Dar es Salaam, training skilled scholars and professionals in development evaluation.

Dr. Mazigo is a key contributor to the Made in Africa Evaluation movement and has developed the Swahili Evaluation Approach — a culturally rooted framework that utilises indigenous proverbs and African philosophies. His work blends traditional knowledge systems with modern evaluation theory, emphasising epistemic justice, participatory methods, and decolonial practices.

His research promotes evaluation as both an ethical and epistemological pursuit, grounded in local worldviews and community wisdom. Dr. Mazigo served as a board member of the Tanzania Evaluation Association (TanEA) from 2019 to 2025.

Neema Noel Kilembe is a distinguished Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) specialist, serving as Assistant Director in the Performance, Monitoring, and Evaluation Department at the Prime Minister's Office of the United Republic of Tanzania. She holds a Master's degree in Official Statistics and has over 15 years of experience across Local Government Authorities, Independent Agencies, and Central Government institutions.

Neema advances and standardises national M&E systems, integrates evaluation into national planning, and promotes evidence-based decision-making. She strengthens performance accountability, helping public institutions effectively use data and evaluation findings to improve policy implementation and development outcomes in Tanzania.

Caroline Makuvire is Director of Evaluation, Research, and Learning in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Zimbabwe. With over 15 years of supervisory experience, she leads government-wide evaluation initiatives, ensuring evidence-based policies aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. She specializes in Monitoring and Evaluation and drives impactful reforms through strategic reporting, supporting sustainable governance and national development goals.

Caroline is a renowned presenter and Board Member of the Food and Nutrition Council. Her work focuses on strengthening indigenous knowledge systems and promoting Made-in-Africa evaluations, contributing to Zimbabwe's development agenda and the global evaluation community.