Aidan Eyakuze to leave Twaweza after 10 years

Dar es Salaam. Aidan Eyakuze, the executive director of Twaweza East Africa, has announced his departure from the organisation after a decade of transformative leadership.

Eyakuze will assume a new role as Chief Executive Officer of the Open Government Partnership (OGP), a global initiative promoting transparency and citizen engagement in governance.

According to a statement shared on Twaweza’s website, Eyakuze’s tenure has been marked by remarkable achievements in empowering citizens and advancing open governance across Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda. 
“It has been a profound honour to serve with Twaweza over the past 10 years. I am immensely proud of what we have achieved together—our staff, partners, and the citizens we serve—in demonstrating how government can work better for people. Twaweza’s critical work continues, and I have full confidence that the next Executive Director will build on this momentum to take the mission even further,” Eyakuze remarked in the statement.

Under his leadership, Twaweza spearheaded initiatives such as Civil Society Week in Tanzania, the People Dialogue Festival in Kenya, and access-to-information efforts in Uganda, fostering closer collaboration between citizens and governments. The organisation also drove improvements in education, benefiting hundreds of thousands of children by inspiring teachers to enhance their classroom impact.

Eyakuze’s influence extended beyond East Africa. He raised Twaweza’s global profile through his roles on the Steering Committee of the OGP and the boards of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data and the Open Contracting Partnership. In 2021, he was named one of the world’s 50 most influential people revolutionising government by Apolitical and the World Economic Forum.

Twaweza Board Member Rebeca Gyumi praised Eyakuze’s leadership, saying, “His legacy of impactful leadership and contributions to civic space and open government will continue to resonate within the organisation and beyond.” Founder Rakesh Rajani added, “Under Eyakuze’s leadership, Twaweza has grown into a deeply respected organisation known for its commitment to principle, integrity, and creativity – all solid foundations to advance the work to achieve greater impact.”

Eyakuze will begin his new role at OGP in mid-March, leading efforts to support its 76 member countries and numerous local governments and civil society partners in implementing reforms to make governance more transparent, inclusive, and responsive.

The search for Eyakuze’s successor will be led by Gyumi and Rajani, ensuring a smooth leadership transition. Eyakuze’s departure marks the end of a decade of transformative leadership at Twaweza, leaving behind a legacy of strengthened civic engagement and a platform for the organisation to build on its mission of fostering citizen-powered governance.