CITO East Africa joined the graduation of the CIO Leadership Programme Class of 2025 at Strathmore University, celebrating 11 senior IT executives as they transitioned from technical experts to strategic, business-focused digital leaders. The graduates expressed enthusiasm to join CITO East Africa, expand their professional networks and continue learning while driving impact across the region through the CITO community.
CITO East Africa attended the CIO Leadership Programme Class of 2025 graduation, marking a significant milestone in its ongoing collaboration with iLabAfrica at Strathmore University. The partnership underscores a shared commitment to nurturing future-ready digital leaders by strengthening the link between industry and academia. It enables CIOs to evolve beyond technical expertise into strategic leadership roles that drive peer learning, business impact and long-term value for the region’s digital ecosystem.
The CIO Leadership Programme is a flagship executive education initiative by iLabAfrica at Strathmore University, tailored for senior IT leaders navigating increasingly complex digital environments.
Representing CITO East Africa at the graduation were KC Rottok Chesaina, Executive Communities East Africa director, and Sandra Mulluka, CITO East Africa community manager, who joined in celebrating the achievements of the 11 executives drawn from both the public and private sectors.
The graduating cohort included Raphael J. C. Ligallama, head of payments and digital lending at Equity Bank; Titus Kitavi, manager for enterprise architecture (IT Infrastructure) at Kenya Power; Silas Kimsoi, manager ICT at East African Portland Cement and JohnPaul Oduor, group IT officer at Oasis Healthcare Group.
Also graduating were Roy Jumba, IT channels senior manager at NCBA; David Kieti, head of ICT at Kingdom Bank; Wayne Kyalo, group IT manager at Tribe Group; Timothy Wahome, chief technology officer at Onfon Mobile; Ahamed Issack, group IT manager at KenGen; and Leah Miano, ICT manager at the Universities Fund.
KC Rottok Chesaina, Executive Communities East Africa director, and Sandra Mulluka, CITO East Africa community manager
Building impactful platforms
Sandra introduced CITO East Africa to the executives in attendance, sharing highlights from the recently held and well-attended launch of the CITO community in early December. The CIOs warmly received the introduction, with several expressing strong interest in joining the community.
KC, on the other hand, spoke about the journey Executive Communities has embarked on to build impactful platforms for C-suite executives across Africa, delivering world-class events and high-quality thought leadership that connects, informs, and elevates senior leaders across the region. Participants were also given copies of the inaugural CITO East Africa magazine, offering a firsthand look at the community’s vision and thought leadership.
The graduation ceremony opened with inspiring remarks from Dr Joseph Sevilla, Director of iLabAfrica at Strathmore University, who reflected on the cohort’s transformative journey and talked about the importance of developing well-rounded digital leaders equipped with leadership, management, and strategic capabilities.
“What you have gained here is more than knowledge; it is personal growth, strategic thinking, and a network that will carry you forward,” he said.
The keynote address was delivered by Kenneth Ogwang, head of digital & technology at Diageo (EABL & Russia), who shared reflections from his 21-year leadership journey across multiple markets and challenged the graduates to lead with courage, curiosity, and conviction in an increasingly complex world.
“You’re here because you’ve earned it, step forward, be visible, and lead boldly,” he said.
Dr Joseph Sevilla, director of iLabAfrica at Strathmore University, Leah Miano, ICT manager Universities Fund and Kenneth Ogwang, head of digital & technology at Diageo
Business-focused leadership
He spoke candidly about leading through uncertainty, drawing on experiences navigating global restructures, ERP transitions and complex geopolitical environments. He reminded the cohort that true innovation is driven by behaviour and mindset, not tools, and encouraged them to create leaders within their teams, lead with empathy and remain relentless in reinventing themselves at every stage of their careers.
Kenneth also emphasised the importance of protecting one’s reputation as a leader, describing it as the most valuable and fragile asset in a CIO’s career. He urged the graduates to stay anchored in integrity and business outcomes, reminding them that technology leadership is ultimately about trust, influence and delivering measurable value to the organisation.
Dr Lorna Mutegi, head of executive education at iLabAfrica, also delivered a powerful message to the graduates, reflecting on their journey through the programme and the intentional shift from technical expertise to strategic, business-focused leadership.
“You return not just as technical custodians, but as business leaders with a digital lens,” she said.
In their reflections, the graduating CIOs expressed appreciation for the strong sense of community and shared purpose fostered throughout the programme. Many noted their interest in engaging with CITO East Africa as a platform to continue learning, exchange practical insights with peers, and stay connected to industry trends. They shared a collective desire to leverage the community to deepen strategic conversations, build meaningful professional networks, and contribute to shaping the future of digital leadership across the region.
