Profiles of 2025 Coordinating Collective Elections Nominees
MEET THE NOMINEES
Samuel Mwami Kabungo is a 27-year-old Zambian medical professional, politician, and activist committed to advancing good governance, youth empowerment, and Pan-African unity. At just 21, he made history as the youngest Zambian candidate in the 2020 Lukashya parliamentary by-elections, inspiring greater youth participation in politics. Kabungo currently coordinates the Fix It Movement in Copperbelt Province and has held leadership roles in the PLO Lumumba Foundation and United Prosperous and Peaceful Zambia (UPPZ), where he has championed peace, equity, and youth leadership. Recognized as the first runner-up for the 2024 African Rising Activist of the Year award, he actively mentors young leaders through the Movement for Good Governance, advocating for a borderless and united Africa built on strong governance.
Felix Sililo is a Zambian civic educator, climate justice activist, and founder of the Green Future Environmental Youth Group. He has championed environmental sustainability, youth empowerment, and social accountability working with Activista Zambia and Dzuka cholinga youth Zambia earning national recognition, including an environmental restoration award. Trained in entrepreneurship and business English at Georgia State University, certified in project management, and currently pursuing Political Science and Diplomacy, Felix blends grassroots action with policy advocacy. He established Mpulungu’s first youth hub, creating a space for young people to learn, connect, and innovate. His vision is a united Africa where youth drive governance, climate action, and social justice for lasting change.
Mark Mukuma is a Zambian development practitioner, social worker, and youth advocate dedicated to Africa’s sustainable growth and community empowerment. With a strong academic background in social work and national development, he works at the intersection of education, technology, and grassroots innovation to create opportunities for marginalized populations.Mark led a youth-driven initiative that delivered vocational training to over 100 unemployed youths in Copperbelt Province, equipping them with skills in agriculture, tailoring, and digital literacy. The program boosted local livelihoods and strengthened community self-reliance. He has also contributed to various empowerment projects focused on inclusive development and social resilience. Rooted in a deep appreciation for Africa’s heritage and untapped potential, Mark champions collaborative, people-centred solutions that drive long-term impact. His commitment to visionary leadership and grassroots engagement aligns with Pan-African movements working toward a more self-reliant, united, and thriving continent.
Denis Kamau Githinji (Octoh Kamaah) is a Kenyan communications specialist and passionate youth leader with a focus on social justice, participatory democracy, and grassroots activism. With over six years in youth movements such as Mt. Kenya Youth Hub and Activista Laikipia, he currently volunteers with Pathways Policy Institute amplifying youth voices on governance, health, and climate justice. As a Steering Group Member of the Fight Inequality Alliance and alumnus of the Global Organising School, Octoh is dedicated to building solidarity and advancing people-centred governance across Africa.
Michael Leo is a Tanzanian community development leader and co-founder of Knowledge in Books, providing literacy and digital skills to underserved populations. Since joining Africans Rising in 2021, he has played a key role in organizing African Liberation Week and contributed to continental peacebuilding efforts as Secretary of the Youth Coalition for Dialogue and Peace – Tanzania. He also serves on boards focused on youth development and is recognized for his commitment to gender justice and cross-border peace initiatives, having received the Tanzania Emerging Youth Award for Peace and Security.
Jean Samandari is a seasoned Burundian lawyer and social justice advocate with over 35 years promoting education, governance, human rights, and gender equality. He leads the associations Action Contre la Pauvreté and Coalition for Education for All, and serves on the African Network Campaign on Education for All. Formerly a National Assembly Deputy, his expertise lies in community mobilization and amplifying grassroots voices to influence continental policy and advocacy.
Yahya Sowe is a Gambian youth and environmental activist, entrepreneur, and community leader. Founder and CEO of Smiling Coast Food Processing Center, Yahya promotes food security and youth employment. He holds key leadership positions within youth committees and alumni networks, mentors climate advocates, and volunteers extensively with the Red Cross. Recognized as one of the AfroArab 30 Champions, he actively builds regional youth networks to empower future leaders through democratic, sustainable development.
Marre Jallow from The Gambia is a committed educator and social advocate specializing in special needs education. As principal of a school for children with disabilities and author of The Abandoned Child, she courageously addresses difficult social issues like baby dumping through education and storytelling. Founder of the Book Association, she promotes literacy and intellectual development, connecting grassroots advocacy with continental pan-Africanism to foster sustainable social transformation.
Olusegun Nelson is a dynamic Nigerian leader with over 20 years of experience spanning governance, public policy, and creative industries. Certified in project management, economics, political science, and cybersecurity, he currently leads capacity-building initiatives and political mobilization efforts. Nelson’s work in film and storytelling complements his roles as youth ambassador and director within prominent leadership networks, as he champions inclusive governance and African-led solutions to development challenges.
Reuben Bier is a Liberian journalist, youth advocate, and public health student at Grand Bassa University with over a decade of experience in radio broadcasting. Starting as an intern at Radio Gbehzohn, he rose to become News Director and Program Manager, and now serves as the Grand Bassa correspondent for the New Republic Newspaper. His work centers on using media to inform, empower, and promote peace within communities. Reuben is the founder of Children Day of Broadcast, a pioneering month-long journalism training program that empowers schoolchildren with broadcasting and communication skills, training over 100 students—many of whom have gone on to professional media roles. He also founded the Denton Students Initiatives, which organizes school-based health and education programs, debates, and literacy competitions aimed at nurturing leadership and civic responsibility among youth. A passionate changemaker with training in investigative journalism, public health, and peacebuilding, Reuben is committed to shaping an inclusive and informed society through media and education.
Dielle Leris is a human rights defender and peace advocate shaped by conflict and personal trauma. Growing up amid violence, she chose healing over revenge and now works to promote reconciliation, community healing, and social justice in conflict-affected areas. Dielle’s grassroots organizing amplifies survivors’ voices and pushes for accountability and systemic change. She seeks to help Africans Rising deepen its impact by ensuring marginalized and vulnerable communities are heard in continental liberation efforts.
MBAIRAMADJI Désiré from Chad is a dedicated civic leader and president of the Rainbow Youth Association for Social Stability in Africa, as well as coordinator of the Network of Digital Peace Ambassadors. With a history of student leadership and strong community mobilization, Désiré represents a new generation of African change-makers. Passionate about human values and authentic leadership, he has forged strategic partnerships to represent Chad internationally and is committed to advancing Africans Rising’s initiatives with energy and vision.
Fatma Messaoud is an Algerian researcher and diplomatic mediator focused on peacebuilding, democratic governance, and human rights. As a member of the African Union’s FemWise-Africa network, she champions women’s leadership in conflict prevention and mediation, and contributes to governance initiatives emphasizing justice and dignity. Fatma envisions an Africa where youth, women, and displaced communities are central to transformative change, dedicated to promoting a united, inclusive, and self-determined continent.
Imani Countess is the Founder and Project Director of the U.S.-Africa Bridge Building Initiative. Her career in transnational solidarity began in 1979 while at the University of Maryland, where she engaged in anti-apartheid and anti-colonial activism. Since then, she has championed people-centered policies advancing human rights, self-determination, and equality.
She has held leadership roles with organizations including the Solidarity Center, TransAfrica Forum, Shared Interest, Africa Action, the African Development Foundation, the Washington Office on Africa, and more. She is also an Economic Inequality Fellow with the Open Society Foundations