List of KSLIA Officials 2000 - 2013

KSLIA Officials 2012 - Present
Chair - Leonida Tausi Kaula
V.Chair - Jack Owiti (elected) 
                Douglas Okeya **Acting/interim Vice Chair
Secretary - Gideon Mbogo
V. Sec. - Monica Nyambura
Treasurer - William Sila

Regional Representatives
**Unclear 
Deaf Representatives
**Unclear

KSLIA Officials 2009 - 2012
Chair - Susan Mugwe
Secretary - Aggrey Akaranga
Treasurer - Monica Nyambura 

Regional Representatives
Nairobi/Central Region - Jack Owiti
Western/Nyanza Region - Simon Angira
Coast Region - Witness Tsuma
Deaf Representatives 
Washington Akaranga
Elizabeth Khamala

KSLIA Officials 2006 - 2009
Chair – Jack Owiti
Secretary – Mary Njoki
Treasurer – the Late Eunice Kasisi (RIP)
Regional Representatives
Western Region – Simon Angira
Central Region – David Agondwa
Coast Region – the Late Elizabeth Mwamburi (RIP)
Nairobi Region – Victoria Adhiambo
Deaf Representatives -- 
Washington Akaranga - KSL Training
Elizabeth Khamala - Deaf Blind
Jefwa Mweri – spokesperson for the association


KSLIA Founding Officials - Technical Working Group 2000 - 2006
Simon Angira, Mary Njoki, Catherine Wambui, Leonida Kaula, Eunice Kasisi (RIP), Aggrey Akaranga, Susan Mugwe, Jack Owiti, Victoria Adhiambo, Isabel Mugure, Lucy Atieno, Nancy Odipo, Washington Akaranga, Jared Osome, Enock Ombok - assisted by RPCVs Kevin, Trish, Cate, PCrume, MJ - PCK convening the Naivasha meeting in September of 2000. 

Source KSLIA minutes, eye witness accounts and historical records. KSLIA (R) (C) 2013

The Naivasha Declaration: KSLIA Formation and Development #KSLIA2013

Down memory lane.....

the full article can be found here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/46308125/KSLIA-Position-Interpreting-Profession

The Peace Corps program relied heavily on interpreters to carryout it’s pre service training, which was offered mainly in English with Kiswahili and other local languages taught depending on the regional distribution of the volunteers. Interpreters where needed to facilitate the communication between the instructors and the Deaf volunteers. Due to lack of professional interpreters in Kenya the Peace Corps program invested in one or two interpreters from the US to work with the local interpreters to build their capacity and later be able to give better interpretation services to the Deaf volunteers. In 1999 there was a strong group of Deaf volunteers who advocated for funding to fund activities to build the capacity of local interpreters. This group of volunteers lobbied and finally secured funding to conduct a one-week workshop for the local interpreters. There were 15 interpreters who attended the training.

September 2000 during the one week workshop sponsored by the Peace Corps, the Kenyan Interpreters were challenged to form an association that would be responsible for three things – First be a social outlet for interpreters to meet and interact informally,secondly it was to be a place for correcting way ward interpreters enforcing a mutually agreed code of ethics and finally an avenue for continued professional development through peer education and role modeling. In the months following this there were a series of meetings dedicated to the formation of a Kenyan Interpreters Association. These meetings focused in the drafting of the constitution, code of ethics and contact list of available or practicing interpreters countrywide. These processes and the outcome of the one week training and late night meetings are what become to be known in Kenyan Interpreter community as the Naivasha declaration

The Naivasha Declaration states that: -

We the Kenyan Interpreters practicing in various fields agree to: -

a) To secure official recognition by the Government of Interpreters profession

b) Encourage and promote initiatives in improving the standards of SL interpreting and interpreter training and pay scale of interpreters depending with their level and skills of interpretation through certification.

c) Cooperation with other recognized bodies concerned in the welfare of the deaf and in provision of Interpreters throughout the world.

d) Awareness creation on Deafness and SL. Interpreters through publication of information materials

e) To collect and raise funds for the achievement of goals and objectives through membership fee, subscription, contribution, gifts or donations, commissions and payments, fund raising whether in money or otherwise from both members and non members.

f) To maintain and administer a register of S.L Interpreters in Kenya.

These later become the objectives of the Kenyan Sign Language Association, which was registered in December of 2000 under the Societies Act.