Mzalendo Kibunjia

Kibunjia Nyagah Mzalendo is a Kenya|Kenyan Archeologist trained in Nairobi and the United States — Rutgers University|Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Since February 16, 2015, he has been the Director-General of National Museums of Kenya (NMK) and Secretary to the Board of Directors. 
Dr. Mzalendo Kibunjia was the founding chairman of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) where he also chaired the Nakuru Peace Accord agreement. 
== Background and Education ==
Dr. Mzalendo Kibunjia was born on January 13, 1962, in Tharaka Nithi County. He did his B. A. in Archaeology and History, University of Nairobi, Kenya, 1986; M. A. in Anthropology, Rutgers University|Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, USA, 1989; Ph.D. in Anthropology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, USA, October 2002. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Laws (L.LB) at the University of Nairobi, Parklands Campus.
== Career and Public Service ==
Dr. Mzalendo was the founding chairman of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), an institution that was created after the 2007/2008 post-election violence by the Kofi Annan|Koffi Annan Negotiation Team to address and reduce inter-ethnic conflicts and ensure that Kenya does not succumb to a similar situation in the future. He lead the commission in the development of the Nakuru County Peace Accord between the Agikuyu and the Kalenjin Communities.
Dr. Mzalendo has been Director General National Museum of Kenya, Chief Research Scientist at the NMK, the Head of Sites and Monuments at the NMK, Chairman Museum Enterprise and Development Unit (MEDU) Committee, Chairman Ol Ari Nyiro, UNESCO world heritage|UNESCO World Heritage List Nomination Committee, Chairman National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) on proposed 140 MW Olkaria I Geothermal Power Station|Olkaria Geothermal Power Plant, a Lecturer in Ethnoarchaeology and Anthropology in many universities; including the Institute of African Studies, University of Nairobi, Kenya, 1994 and Drew University, Madison, New Jersey, USA, among others. 
He has been an External examiner|External Examiner, Archaeology, History, and Political Science Department, Kenyatta University and has published many papers on Heritage. From 2014 to date, Dr. Mzalendo is a Technical Advisor to Kenya Delegation to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Committee, and State Party meetings. 
He has also offered expertise in the development of Africa Insider Mediators Platform, Intergovernmental Authority on Development|IGAD Mediation Unit, Djibouti and national cohesion and integration training manual. 
== Publications ==
* 2009 M.R. Bennett, J.W.K. Harris, B.G. Richmond, D.R. Braun, E. Mbua, P. Kiura, D. Olago, M. Kibunjia, C. Omuombo, A.K. Behrensmeyer, D. Huddart, S. Gonzalez “Early hominin foot morphology based on 1.5 million-year-old Footprints from Ileret Kenya; Science, 323 (5918): 1197-1201.
* 2005 S. Prat, J-P Brugal, J-J Tiercelin, J-A Barrat, M. Bohn, A. Delagnes, S. Harmand, K. Kimeu, M. Kibunjia, P-J, Texier, H. Roche “First occurrence of early Homo in the Nachukui Formation (West Turkana, Kenya) at 2.3-2.4 Myr, Journal of Human Evolution, 49: 230-240
* 2003 J-P. Brugal, H.Roche and M. Kibunjia, “Faunes et paléoenvironnements des principaux sites archaéologiques plio-pléistocènes de la formation de Nachukui (Ouest-Turkana, Kenya) Comptes Rendus Palevol 2 (2003): 675-684
* 2003 H. Roche, J-P. Brugal, A. Delagnes, C. Feibel, S. Harmand, M. Kibunjia, S. Prat, P-J Texier “Les sites archéologiques plio-pléistocènes de la formation de Nachukui, Ouest-Turkana, Kenya: bilan synthétique 1997-2001, Comptes Rendus Palevol (2003) 2:663-673
* 1999 I. Onjala, M. Kibunjia, F. Odede and G. Oteyo "Recent archaeological investigations along the Sondu Miriu River, Kenya" Azania 34:114-122
* 1999 H. Roche, A. Delagnes, J-P. Brugal, C. Feibel, M. Kibunjia, V. Mourre and P.J. Texier "Early hominid stone tool production and technical skill 2.34 myr ago in West Turkana, Kenya." Nature, 399:57-60.
* 1998 "Lokalalei 1: An Early Stone Age archaeological site in Kenya." Kenya Past and Present, 30:40-44.
* 1997 "Conservation of Collections in East African Museums: The shared experiences in Africa" In F Flieder & S Monod (Eds) Conservation: A developing Science. Paris: ARSAG.
* 1996 "Status of archaeological collections and resources in Africa". In G. Pwiti & R. Soper, (Eds) Aspects of African Archaeology, Papers from the 10th Congress of the Pan-African Association for Prehistory and Related Studies, pp. 783-786. Harare: University of Zimbabwe Publications.
* 1996 H. Roche & M. Kibunjia "Contribution of the west Turkana Plio-Pleistocene sites to the archaeology of the Lower Omo/Turkana Basin". Four Million Years of Hominid Evolution in Africa, Proceedings of International Conference in Honour of Dr. Mary Leakey's Outstanding Contribution in Paleoanthropology. Kaupia, Darmstdter Beitrge zur Naturgeschichte Heft 6: 27-30.
Category:Kenyan scientists
Category:Kenyan people