Our Team
CAHF Staff
Kecia Rust is the Executive Director and founder of the Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa (CAHF). She is a housing policy specialist and has worked with both public and private sector practitioners in promoting access to affordable housing and housing finance in Africa for the past 20 years. She was the Housing Finance Coordinator at the FinMark Trust from 2003-2014, from where CAHF was established. Over the span of her career, Kecia has consulted and undertaken research in affordable housing finance, residential property assets and property markets, rental and social housing, and the creation of sustainable human settlements, among other issues. Kecia participated in the Wharton School’s International Housing Finance Programme, U.S.A. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree with Distinction from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, U.S.A., and a Masters of Management from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. Email: kecia@housingfinanceafrica.org
Dr. Dorman Chimhamhiwa is a geospatial data scientist, land surveyor and senior technical and operations executive with 29 years’ experience across multiple African countries. Dorman has worked in technical advisory, program management and program support roles within the land administration sector, urban development, public health, and land rights strengthening programmes. He has led various field projects in Namibia, South Africa, Liberia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Between 2003 and 2016, Dorman worked as an academic associate and researcher (affiliated to 3 Universities). He has continued to support geospatial technology driven research work at the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa till to date. Dr Chimhamhiwa is currently the Chief Operations officer at CAHF. Further to being CAHF’s Chief Operations Officer, Dorman is responsible for supporting its data and analytics portfolio, in line with CAHF’s broader vision. Email: dorman@housingfinanceafrica.org
Thandiwe Dhlamini is the African Union for Housing Finance Programme Manager within CAHF. She holds a BA in History and Development Studies from Midlands States University in Zimbabwe. She has experience in project support, implementation and management which she has gained through working with Local and International Non- Governmental Organisations which focused on human rights, women’s rights, land grabs and tax campaigns, parental and family matters, Social Behaviour Change Communication and Capacity development of Social Services Practitioners. She is passionate about community development and curbing injustices and inequalities affecting the underprivileged. Thandiwe completed the Housing Finance Course for Sub-Saharan Africa at the University of Cape Town in 2018. Email: thandiwe@housingfinanceafrica.org
Allan Mutuma Gitonga is the Open Access Initiative Programme Manager, in October 2022. Allan is a real estate research and investment professional with 10 years of experience in affordable housing investments across East Africa. Prior to joining CAHF, Allan was in charge of Transactions, Strategy and Research at Centum Real Estate, East Africa’s largest real estate investment company. During his tenure at Centum Real Estate, he successful led several fundraising initiatives into affordable housing projects and private infrastructure projects. Allan holds an undergraduate degree in Financial Economics from Strathmore University (Kenya), a master’s degree in finance from Jomo Kenyatta University (Kenya). Allan completed the Housing Finance Course for Sub-Saharan Africa at the University of Cape Town in 2023. In addition to his role at CAHF, Allan is the founder of BrownCap Developers Limited, an affordable housing developer, based in Nairobi, Kenya. Email: allan@housingfinanceafrica.org
David Chiwetu joined CAHF as a Research Manager in April 2019. In this capacity, his work focuses on overseeing and managing CAHF’s research in Nigeria, Ghana and the Central African Region. He has a personal interest in exploring the role that financial institutions and town planning authorities can play in positively shaping the development of African cities. He has completed a MSc in Development Planning where his masters research report looked at how small scale developers are supported in the property development process. He also holds a BSc (Hons) degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Witwatersrand. Email: david@housingfinanceafrica.org
Beatrice Mwangi is a Research Manager at the Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa. With nearly 5 years experience in the real estate sector mainly focusing on housing, she has extensive knowledge and experience in research, data analysis, project financial analysis and project management, and has previously worked with Cytonn Investments, Superior Homes Kenya and EAFAI. Beatrice holds a Bachelor’s degree in Project Planning and Management from the University of Eldoret, Kenya, and completed the Housing Finance Course for Sub-Saharan Africa at the University of Cape Town in 2021. She is passionate about the betterment of humanity through decent housing for all. Email: beatrice@housingfinanceafrica.org
Aminata Baro is a young Senegalese-French Urban Planner based in Dakar, Senegal. Aminata is a Research Manager with the CAHF, where she undertakes monthly press reviews that provide an overview of the latest news on housing finance in Francophone Africa, and supports local or sub-regional studies and other research activities led by CAHF. She is passionate about housing and basic services issues, advocating through writing a variety of thought pieces on addressing housing deficits in Sub-Saharan Africa. After her bachelor’s degree in Humanities, Law, Economics and Management (Major in Political Science), obtained with the Université Paris Nanterre (France), she pursued a Master’s degree in Urban Planning with a focus on Cities of the Global South. Email: aminata@housingfinanceafrica.org
Nasiphi Dumile is the Communications Officer at CAHF since 2023. With a background in Marketing Management, she plays a key role in developing and implementing CAHF’s communication strategies, ensuring impactful engagement with stakeholders across the affordable housing sector. With nearly five years of experience in marketing, branding, and strategic communications, Nasiphi manages both the AUHF & CAHF’s digital presence, content creation, and media relations. She has successfully led initiatives to enhance audience engagement, grow CAHF’s francophone program, and strengthen the organization’s outreach through newsletters, social media, and publications. Her expertise extends to sponsorship engagement, event communications, and managing high-profile campaigns, including the Housing Finance in Africa Yearbook and the AUHF Annual Conference. Email: nasiphi@housingfinanceafrica.org
Ntokozo Dhlamini is the Finance Administrator at CAHF, with a BCom in Finance and a strong foundation in financial management, reporting, and process optimization. She thrives in fast-paced environments, balancing accuracy, efficiency, and adaptability to support seamless financial operations. Her calm under pressure and organized, solution-focused approach make her a reliable and valuable member of the team. In addition to her finance expertise, Ntokozo brings charisma, confidence, and creativity to her role. With a love for public speaking and dramatic arts, she is a dynamic communicator who excels at presenting ideas, collaborating with teams, and leading discussions. Driven by a commitment to continuous learning and growth, Ntokozo is not just here to do the work—she’s here to make an impact, always eager to innovate and contribute meaningfully. Email: ntokozo@housingfinanceafrica.org