Research associate Dr Paul Kariuki holds a PhD in Public Administration from the University of KwaZulu Natal (UKZN), South Africa. He qualified with a Master's Degree in Development Studies from the same university, where he specialised in development economics, local economic development, and public policy. He is an honorary research senior lecturer at the School of Management, Information Technology, and Governance at UKZN.
His research interests are in development economics, governance, digital transformation, public participation, elections, electronic governance, local government, migration and human rights, cybersecurity, public participation, civil society, emerging technologies, and monitoring and evaluation in the public sector.
He has published research articles in peer-reviewed journals and co-edited 14 books, of which recent titles are: Political and Civil Leadership in Africa: Changes and Transitions; Municipal Oversight and Support: Towards Institutional Readiness and Ten Years of South Africa’s National Development Plan: Progress, Challenges, and The Future.
Dr Kariuki is a regular contributor to various social and political issues in the mainstream electronic and print media and an advisor to several boards of non-profit organisations. He is a convener of the African Policy Circle (APC), a network of think tanks in Sub-Saharan Africa representing 15 African countries. He is an active member of the Southern Africa Research and Innovation Management (SARIMA), the South Africa Association of Public Administration and Management (SAAPAM), and the South Africa Monitoring and Evaluation Association (SAMEA).