Father Didace Kamana

Father Didace Kamana

Head, Memberships & Partnerships

Father Didace Kamana is the Memberships & Partnerships Head of ANeCS. He is a PhD candidate in Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Otago, where his research critiques Kenya's counter-terrorism strategies, highlighting their Eurocentric and state-centric frameworks.

Father Kamana’s research argues for the need to incorporate local knowledge and communal perspectives, mainly through the African philosophy of Ubuntu, which emphasises humaneness, nonviolence, and collective responsibility. His work aligns with ANeCS’s mission of decolonising security approaches by advocating for strategies rooted in African traditions and values.

With a strong academic background, Father Kamana holds three master’s degrees—an MA in Theology from Catholic Theological Union, an MA in Ethics, Peace, and Global Affairs, and an MA in Philosophy from American University. His scholarly and practical interests span peacebuilding, reconciliation, Afrocommunalism, and counterterrorism, making him well-suited to foster meaningful partnerships and engagement within the network.

Father Kamana is also co-founder and a member of the board of directors at Africa Center for Strategy and Policy (ACSTRAP), addressing the gaps in Africa’s foreign and public policy through opinion research, analysis, and informed public discourse. 

Fluent in English and French, and proficient in several East-Africa languages, Father Kamana is also passionate about research, community trust-building, negotiation and mediation through cultural diplomacy. 

In his role at ANeCS, he focuses on expanding membership, cultivating partnerships, and promoting collaboration between scholars, practitioners, and organisations committed to alternative approaches to security in Africa. His commitment to building bridges, informed by his experiences in post-genocide Rwanda, profoundly resonates with the values of the network.

Father Kamana is from Rwanda.