Mr Okech E. Ochieng is a political scientist and democratic governance expert with over 10 years in conducting research works for both international and local organizations.

His expertise is in field work research, literature review, data management (collecting, coding, entry and analysis using ODK, SPSS, Excel, EpiData), project management and databases management for large pool of data and organisations.

He has worked in the fields of democratic governance, elections, monitoring and evaluations, gender mainstreaming, peacebuilding, CVE and counterterrorism.

He was the Team Leader for the Gender and Political Research by The Oslo Center where the study analyzed the systemic barriers to women's electability at the National and County levels in Nakuru, Kajiado, and Kirinyaga counties and made recommendations for the engagement of women in political processes.

He was the research assistant in conducting field work studies for United Nations Development Programme (UNDP Kenya) in the Baseline Survey for the Strengthening Electoral Processes in Kenya (SEPK) and End Term Evaluation for Deepening Foundation for PeaceBuilding and Community Security (PBCS) Programme (2014 – 2018).

The SEPK programme objectives focused on collecting data through literature reviews, public participation, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) to assess the preparedness of Kenya's major electoral institutions namely election the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP), Political Parties Dispute Tribunal (PPDT), Judiciary Committee on Elections, the police and others for the 2017 general. The research was conducted at the national level and locally in 26 selected constituencies across several counties namely; Nairobi, Uasin Gishu, Kakamega, Kisumu, Kericho, Homabay, Nyeri Kilifi, Kitui, Makueni, Garissa, Turkana, Machakos, Kisii, Mombasa, Kwale, Tana River and Taita Taveta. Indicators measured included civic education, gender and security.

The PBCS programme focused on the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability of the programme, including the extent to which cross cutting issues (human rights, gender, SDGs) have been mainstreamed. The evaluation will also assess the mechanisms put in place to enhance coordination and harmonization between UNDP, Implementing Partners, and state and non-state actors in peacebuilding and community security initiatives. Data collected from 11 counties namely Nairobi, Kiambu, Kitui, Kwale, Kilifi, Isiolo, Wajir, Nakuru, Narok, Uasin Gishu, Bungoma and Migori, analysed and report written.

Okech also conducted FGDs and KIIs for the Mercy Corps Kenya’s End Endline Survey for Kenya Election Violence Prevention and Response Program (KEVP). The program had three objectives and a premise that is based on the theory of change: IF Kenyans work together across lines of division to resolve election disputes, and IF existing formal and informal peace structures are more effective, THEN local response to election related violence will be more effective and sustainable thereby reducing violent clashes. Conducted in 5 Counties namely Nairobi, Nakuru, Uasin Gishu, Nandi and Kisumu.

He was a key researcher in the UNICEF’s Consultancy to conduct budget analysis in social sectors in Kenya’s 10 counties (Garissa, Wajir, Marsabit, Kitui, Turkana, Mombasa, Migori and Homa Bay, Kakamega, Kilifi) targeting women and children and the Consultancy Services to Support National and County Level Nutrition Resource Allocations, Budget Analysis and Expenditure Tracking in 6 counties (Kitui, Turkana, Wajir, Marsabit, Kakamega, Homabay)

Finally, he was also engaged in data management for the KfW Bank’s Maternal Health project and others.