Joseph Wangombe knows all too well the pain and confusion of job loss and the uncertainty that comes afterwards. However, giving up is never an option for him and he has never been afraid of starting again.
Sometime in 2016, Joseph Wangombe packed his bags and moved his family to Narok. It was the turning point of a journey that had begun with restlessness and a desire for growth. Up until then, he had been a technical assistant at Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KARLO), Naivasha which was also his first place of employment after graduation.
"I was assisting them with data collection, entry, analysis, and reporting," he says.
The experience gave him a strong foundation at the intersection of agriculture and data. However, after five years at KARLO, he felt that long-term career growth meant pushing past his comfort zone. As a result, he set out in search of another opportunity. Luck was on his side, and he didn't have to look for long.
"One day while sitting at home, I saw a job posting for a county manager position at a company in Narok," he recalls.
It was an emerging agritech firm developing a digital platform to capture farmer data and build a localised marketplace, and they needed someone to manage their field technology operations.
High hopes and a short runway
Even though Joseph's only experience was the five years he had spent at KARLO, he applied for the job and after a while he got called for interviews.
"We went for the first and second rounds of interviews and I was picked as county manager," he says.
Once in Narok, he set out to begin his job together alongside about 100 people that the company had hired on a commission basis. It did not take long however for cracks to begin forming in what would have been Joseph's big break in his IT career.
"The company didn't have funding and it was hard for us to continue working. So many people dropped out but I didn't give up," he says.
Despite his willingness to stay, the company shut down its operations and he and his colleagues lost their jobs.
Now in a remote area and without a job, Joseph needed to find something to do to provide for his family. When Keekorok Lodge - owned by Sun Africa hotels - in Maasai Mara came calling, he gladly took the opportunity although he would later discover that growth opportunities in hospitality and tourism were limited for someone with his interests.
Not one to give up easily, he thrust himself into the job search once again using his free time to look for opportunities online.
"I worked there for two years then just when the second year was ending I came across a role online. A clean cooking tech startup in Nairobi was looking for an IT coordinator. I applied and I forgot about it. Then after some time, someone reached out to me and I did interviews between November and December 2018," he says.
A ray of hope
In January 2019, Joseph started his role as IT coordinator at what would later become Koko Networks. This, to Joseph, was the real start of his journey in IT.
"Things were completely different. I was suddenly collaborating with teams across the globe. I was exposed to different kinds of technologies and I had a good IT manager who was mentoring me," he recalls. Things took an interesting turn when the IT manager relocated to the USA shortly after Joseph joined.
"Now there was an opportunity for an IT manager and I was just hoping I would get it because it was my dream to be at the forefront in a big technology organisation like that one," he says.
By luck, the CIO who was based in the UK at the time had seen Joseph's potential and he made him the acting IT manager for about seven months. While the company had other ideas for the position, Joseph was determined to prove that he was the right person to take up the role.
"They were looking for someone and people were giving referrals but I was on top of things and made sure to convince them that I was just as capable," he says. His determination paid off and he was confirmed into the role later that year.
Starting over again
After being in the company for seven years, nothing could have prepared Joseph for the events of February 2026 when Koko Networks shut down its operations in Kenya, leaving hundreds of workers unemployed.
"It was not easy because we were not prepared. However, I was optimistic because in those seven years I had gained much experience and I was hopeful of a new challenge," he says.
During this time, Joseph retreated to his rural home in Kirinyaga, where his family was staying and where he farms. He stayed there for a month as he looked for a new job.
His first job after the layoff was as an IT consultant at Burn Manufacturing, a clean cooking technology company in Nairobi. Not long after, an opportunity came up at Karirana Estates-Eden Tea, and Joseph applied. He went through a competitive selection process, came out on top, and made the strategic decision to join as their new head of ICT in April 2026.
"My journey so far has been fulfilling. I have identified a lot of opportunities and my role is to bring these to the leadership and assist them in decision making. I'm hoping my time here will bring some real change. I can already see my impact so far," he says.
The relaxation routine
When not in the office, Joseph's time is split between spending time with his family, tending to his farm, and walking the trails in Mt Kenya forest. Each weekend, his reset begins with a drive back home to Kirinyaga, leaving behind his computer in the office, a decision he has made to protect his personal time. This decision, he says, allows him to recharge and he returns to the boardroom each week with fresh perspective, clarity, and energy required to lead digital transformation at scale.
Every once in a while also Joseph listens to podcasts especially on topical issues or things he is curious about.
