Clara Mira

Position: Center Director

Ms. Mira, a Spanish national, has held several positions at the IMF, including more recently Mission Chief for Moldova in the European Department, Mission Chief for Guinea in the African Department, Resident Representative to Uganda, senior economist and economist for Uganda and Niger. During her assignments, she has been in charge of negotiating and monitoring several IMF-supported programs, including the Moldovan Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF), ECF/EFF, PSIs, and emergency assistance (covid and food shocks) programs. She has also worked extensively on the integration of TA/CD with surveillance and lending programs, on EAC regional integration, and inequality. Before joining the Fund in 2010, she worked in Banco de España, the IMF Executive Board, and the European Commission.

Kenneth Ochola

Position: Customs Administration Advisor

Kenneth Ochola, a Kenyan national joined AFE on September 1, 2020 as Resident Revenue Administration Advisor (Customs). Ochola is a career Customs Specialist and has worked for Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) for the last 29 years in various capacities rising to the position of Acting Commissioner of Customs and Border Control. He has broad experience in Customs Policy, Security and Operations. Between 2010 and 2012, he served as the Head of World Customs Organization Regional Intelligence Liaison Office, for Eastern and Southern Africa. In 2004 he was seconded to the Kenya National Counter Terrorism Centre in Nairobi for a period of two years. His most recent posting within KRA prior to joining AFE, was as the KRA Regional Coordinator responsible for Revenue Administration in Southern Region. Ochola holds a Master of Business Administration – Finance, from Leicester University (UK). He graduated from Kenyatta University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Business Studies in 1990.

Rameck Masaire

Position: Tax Administration Advisor

Rameck Masaire a Zimbabwean National joined AFE in February 2022 as a Tax Administration Advisor. Rameck holds an Executive Master’s Degree in Business Administration and before joining AFE he was working for the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) as Acting Commissioner General. Besides ZIMRA Rameck also worked at Ernst & Young and an Executive Director in the Business Tax Advisory Department.

Thomas Benninger

Position: Tax Policy Advisor

Tom Benninger, a Swiss national, joined East AFRITAC as a tax policy advisor in September 2024. Tom is a senior economist with the IMF’s Fiscal Affairs Department (FAD). He has been with the IMF since 2017 where his responsibilities included the lead role for the implementation of results-based management in FAD, tax policy economist with a focus on extractive industry taxation and fiscal economist on the country teams for Mauritania and the Kyrgyz Republic. From 2009 to 2012, he worked for the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) and the Irish Embassy on the Joint Budget Support Operation in Uganda mainly focusing on fiscal policy. From 2012 to 2016, Tom worked at the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), responsible for macroeconomic support programs in Ghana and South Africa and as a lead on budget support policy and good governance in the commodity sector. Tom holds a double Masters’ Degree in International Affairs and Governance from the University in St. Gallen, Switzerland and Sciences Po Paris, France as well as a Master in Advanced Studies in Development Policy from the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, Switzerland.

Dzingai Francis Chapfuwa

Position: Public Finance Management Advisor

Since December 2021, Mr. Chapfuwa, a Zimbabwean national, has been an IMF PFM advisor providing capacity development across Sub-Saharan Africa on fiscal risk management and state-owned enterprises. In that role he has worked with most AFE countries and collaborated with AFE advisors. Before working with the IMF, Mr. Chapfuwa had over 20 years of experience in public sector management in South Africa and Zimbabwe. In South Africa, he has held positions including Chief Economist in Economic Modelling and Research at the Department of Public Enterprises, and Director of Policy Analysis at Office of the Premier of Northwest Province; and has worked within the National Treasury. His roles in South Africa included budgetary management, fiscal and expenditure policy and strengthening financial oversight of state-owned enterprises. In Zimbabwe, he has worked both for the National Treasury and the Reserve Bank. Mr. Chapfuwa holds a Ph. D. in Economics from the University of Johannesburg (2020), Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) Honours in Econometrics (2019) from the University of Pretoria, a MA in Business Administration from Tshwane University (2013), a Mphil in Development Finance from the University of Stellenbosch (2014) and a Bachelor of Science (BSc) Honours in Economics (2003) from the University of Zimbabwe.

Trish Chiinze

Position: Macro-Fiscal Analysis Advisor

Trish is a Zimbabwean national with experience spanning across macro-fiscal management, economic policy and budget formulation, macro-fiscal forecasting, fiscal transparency, and fiscal risk analysis. She has worked at the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and the Ministry of Finance, actively involved in the national budget formulation processes, from macro-fiscal forecasting through to formulation of national budget documents and monitoring implementation of the National Budget. Before joining AFE, she was the Resident Macro-Fiscal Advisor at IMF-AFRITAC South based in Mauritius since Jan 2022. She has also worked with countries in AFW 2 providing training on IMF developed Tools for fiscal risk analysis, including managing State Owned Enterprises- related fiscal risks. She holds a Masters in Business Administration degree from Nottingham Trent University (UK), Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics (University of Zimbabwe) and Special Honours Degree in Monitoring and Evaluation (Lupane State University).

Phyllis Makau

Position: Public Finance Management Advisor

Ms. Makau, a Kenyan national, has over 35 years of experience in public sector budgeting, expenditure control, and fiscal policy monitoring. Since 2022, Ms. Makau was a PFM advisor in the IMF’s African Regional Technical Assistance Centre in West Africa (AFRITAC West 2), providing capacity development support to member countries. Before joining AFRITAC West 2, she contributed to the IMF capacity development program in Africa as a short-term expert. From 2012 – 2022, she served as the director of the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) in Kenya where she steered the establishment of an oversight professional unit on matters budget and economy. Prior to the PBO, she worked at the Kenya National Treasury in various positions in the Budget Department, where she led and participated in several successful budgetary reforms, including the introduction of the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and the establishment of a budget monitoring system. Ms. Makau holds a master’s degree in economics from Kurukshetra University in India. She also holds several professional certificates in public finance management and program appraisal from Havard University and Georgia University Atlanta, USA.

Archil Imnaishvili

Position: Macroeconomic Framework Advisor

Mr. Archil Imnaishvili Joined AFRITAC East in August 2024. He has more than 15 years of experience of working in the central bank. Being the head of the Macroeconomics and Statistics Department at the National Bank of Georgia Mr. Archil Imnaishvili was a major contributor to the transformative change of the policy from monetary targeting with heavy exchange rate control to inflation targeting with flexible exchange rate regime. As part of this shift, he had very active role in the introduction of policy interest rate instrument, in the move from volume-based to price-based monetary operations, and the revamp of FX intervention mechanism; in the development of analytical and modelling capacity in the bank and the introduction of the FPAS as the framework for the decision-making process; in the reform of monetary policy communication in the bank that ensured greater transparency and predictability of monetary policy. Mr. Archil Imnaishvili has experience of delivering technical assistance and peer-to-peer learning activities to central bank staff of other countries. Mr. Archil Imnaishvili holds a master’s degree in economics from the Central European University.

Georgios Genimakis

Position: Financial Sector Supervision Advisor

Georgios Genimakis, a Greek national, joined the East Africa Regional Technical Assistance Center (East AFRITAC) in September 2021 as the Resident Advisor in Financial Sector Supervision. He has extensive experience in prudential banking supervision having worked previously as a senior supervisor at the European Central Bank supervising complex cross-border institutions and as an onsite inspector at the Bank of Greece where he conducted diverse inspections in different jurisdictions and participated in critical projects with several international stakeholders. He has also worked for several years for a commercial bank in corporate banking lending. He holds a PhD in Finance, an MSc in Banking and International Finance, an MBA and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics.

Tiviniton Makuve

Position: Debt Management Advisor

Tiviniton is a Zimbabwean national with over 10 years’ experience in sovereign debt management as both practitioner and advisor. From 2014 to 2022, he worked at the Macroeconomic and Financial Management Institute of Eastern and Southern Africa (MEFMI), responsible for planning and coordinating the implementation of capacity building programmes aimed at enhancing sovereign debt and asset management practices of 14 member countries. His main areas of focus were debt transparency, strategy formulation, debt sustainability analysis, bond markets and reserves management. Prior to this role, he worked for the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe. Tiviniton holds a Masters’ Degree in Economics from the University of Zimbabwe and is an Accredited Fellow (in sovereign debt management) of the MEFMI Institute.

Archil Mestvirishvili

Position: Forecasting and Policy Analysis System Advisor

Archil Mestvirishvili, a Georgian national joined AFE in May 2024 as a Resident Advisor in Monetary Policy Forecasting and Policy Analysis System (FPAS). He has more than 20 years of experience in central banking. He was deputy governor of Georgia’s Central bank for two terms (14 years). He has been responsible for Monetary Policy, Macroeconomic Research, Monetary Operations, International Reserves Management and Payment systems. He is an Economics by Education and a career Central Banker. He holds MA from Tbilisi State University in Mathematics (1994) and MA in Economics from Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA (2002). He left his position at Central Bank November 2023 and since then he was involved in several Short-term Technical Assistance projects.

Mark Buessing-Loercks

Position: Monetary and Foreign Exchange Policy Operations Resident Advisor

Mark Buessing-Loercks, is a German national with over 20 years of professional experience in central banking, including market operations and related fields, gained at the Bundesbank, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the ECB, and the IMF. Prior to joining Afritac East, Mark served as Senior Team Lead Economist in the Market Operations Analysis Division of the European Central Bank (ECB). He has chaired the European System of Central Banks’ Collateral Management Network, a network of ECB and national central bank collateral management experts. Mark has contributed to multiple key dossiers related to the analysis, formulation, and implementation of standard- and non-standard policy measures for the Eurosystem monetary policy operational framework. From 2017 to 2020, he worked as senior financial sector expert at the IMF’s MCM Department, Central Banking Operations Division (MCMCO) participating in Technical Assistance missions on monetary policy implementation, the lender of last resort function, and Financial Sector Assessment Programs (FSAPs), leading workstreams on systemic liquidity. Mark holds a master’s degree in business administration from Goethe University Frankfurt.

Elka Atanasova

Position: Real Sector Statistics Advisor

Elka Atanasova a Bulgarian National joined AFRITAC East in March 2025 as a Real Sector Statistics Advisor. Before joining AFE, she was the Real sector statistics Advisor at IMF-AFRITAC South based in Mauritius since March 2021. Prior to joining the IMF, she worked for over 20 years in the National statistical Institute of Bulgaria. Her experience is in relation to Macro-economic statistics mainly in the field of National Accounts production. She holds a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of national and world economy, Bulgaria and PhD in statistics and demography from the Academy of economics D.A.Tsenov, Bulgaria.

Christelle Groenewald

Position: Government Finance Statistics Advisor

Christelle Groenewald, a South African national, joined the East Africa Regional Technical Assistance Center in February 2023 as the Government Finance Statistics Advisor. She has more than 22 years’ experience in public finance at the Central Bank of South Africa (SARB) where she was overseeing the unit responsible for compiling government finance- and public sector debt statistics.

Lauren Keating

Position: Strategic Budgeting Advisor

Lauren Keating, a Canadian national, joined AFRITAC East in October 2024 and is working with SECO priority countries on strategic budgeting initiatives. Prior to this role, she was a Visiting Scholar with the IMF’s Fiscal Affairs Department where she engaged in research and facilitated the implementation of gender budgeting reforms across various member countries. In this role, she contributed to many analytical pieces including the recently published IMF book Gender Equality and Economic Development in Sub-Saharan Africa (2024). Currently, Lauren is on leave from the Canadian Department of Finance where she most recently worked on fiscal policy, specifically budget policy and analysis, and previously on financial sector policies.

Rebecca Obare

Position: AML/CFT Regional Advisor (Anglophone Africa)

Rebecca Obare, a Kenyan national, joined AFE on October 3, 2024, as the Regional Advisor for Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) for Anglophone Africa, based in the IMF Legal Department. With over 25 years of experience in AML/CFT, Ms. Obare specializes in promoting financial integrity and combating money laundering, terrorist financing, and corruption. She provides technical assistance and leads Thematic Trust Fund–supported AML/CFT initiatives across Anglophone Sub-Saharan Africa, helping countries establish effective, risk-based frameworks. Prior to joining the IMF in 2011, she served as a compliance officer at the Central Bank of Kenya and worked as a policy analyst in its Bank Supervision Department.

Michael Byansheko

Position: Local Economist

Michael Byansheko, a Tanzanian national, joined AFE in August 2023 as an Economist. In his previous role, he served as an Assistant Lecturer in the Economics Department at the University of Pretoria, teaching Economic Analysis and Public Economics. He has also worked at the World Bank’s project in the Competition Commission of South Africa that aimed to reformulate the antimonopoly policy to increase its impact, effectiveness, and sustainability. He holds a Master’s of Commerce in Economics (Cum Laude), a Bachelor’s of Commerce (Honours) in Economics, and a Bachelor’s of Science in Mathematical Statistics from the University of Pretoria.

Edina Moshi

Position: Office Manager

Ms. Moshi is the Office Manager at IMF East AFRITAC. She is responsible for Office Management and Accounting. She joined the Center right after its opening at 2002. She was seconded from the Bank of Tanzania.

Warda M. Kassim

Position: Administrative Assistant

Ms. Warda Kassim joined the Center in July of 2017 as an Administrative Assistant. She has been seconded from the Bank of Tanzania.

Evonne Massawe

Position: IT Officer

Ms. Evonne Massawe is the IT Officer at East AFRITAC. Prior to this, she worked for the Economic and Research Foundation on a Project - The Tanzania Development Gateway (TzDG) - an Internet portal that provides and promotes on-line networking, sharing, exchange and dissemination of knowledge, ideas and information on development matters.

Sylvanus Kashinje

Position: Administrative

Sylvanus is an Admin Assistant for the AFRITAC East office in Dar es Salaam. He is seconded to AFE from the Bank of Tanzania. He joined AFE in January 2022.

Amina Karuma

Position: Administrative Assistant

Amina is an Administrative Assistant for the East AFRITAC office in Dar es Salaam. She is seconded to AFE from the Bank of Tanzania.

Neema Mahenge

Position: Administrative Assistant

Neema is an Administrative Assistant for the East AFRITAC office in Dar es Salaam. She is seconded to AFE from the Bank of Tanzania. She joined AFE in February 2023.

Wilhelm Kinabo

Position: Office Driver

Wilhelm is the office driver but also assists new Resident Advisors acquire their resident permits, diplomatic IDs, drivers licenses, TIN, etc., after the necessary documentation has been submitted to the authorities. He is seconded to AFE from the Bank of Tanzania.

Stamili Togwa

Position: Office Attendant