Ciku Mbugua Appointed as the Chief Executive Officer
Today is a momentous day for EdTech East Africa–one filled with gratitude, excitement, and a profound sense of optimism for the future.
After 11 years of visionary leadership, our CEO and Co-founder, Jennifer Otieno, has passed the baton to the incredible Ciku Mbugua. Ciku is a purpose-driven leader with over a decade of experience advancing social innovation and education transformation across East Africa. She brings a deep commitment to building equitable, technology-enabled learning ecosystems that empower communities and unlock opportunity. Ciku holds an MSc in Public and Urban Policy from the University of Glasgow and is an Acumen East Africa Fellow. To support this transition, Jenn is stepping into the Executive Advisor role where she will continue to share her invaluable experience, institutional knowledge and strategic guidance.
“I am deeply honored to take on this role and lead the incredible EdTech EastAfrica team into this next chapter. I believe that this moment, more than ever, calls for more local ownership, knowledge sharing and collaboration if we are to reap the gains of integrating technology in our education systems. I am privileged to lead an organization that is at the forefront, building the ecosystem infrastructure required to capitalize on all the expertise education stakeholders bring to the table. Jenn and Missy have laid a great foundation that we are very excited to build upon.” Ciku said.
In 2014, Jennifer Otieno and Missy Mwendwa embarked on a journey driven by a shared passion: to harness the power of technology to transform education across East Africa. Over the past eleven years, EdTech East Africa has blossomed under Jenn’s stewardship. We have witnessed monumental growth in Kenya, and expanded our reach in Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and beyond. What started as a small gathering of passionate educators and technologists has evolved into a thriving ecosystem of innovators, policymakers, investors, and educators, all united by a common goal to transform education. We have seen groundbreaking EdTech solutions emerge, impactful policy dialogues, and an undeniable shift in the educational landscape, powered by the collective efforts of our members.
“While stepping down from the CEO role is bittersweet, I am incredibly excited for this next chapter, both for myself as Executive Advisor and for EdTech East Africa under Ciku’s leadership,” Jennifer said. “I’ve had the privilege of working closely with Ciku for years, and I have absolute faith in her vision, her strategic acumen, and her profound understanding of our community’s needs.”
Ciku Mbugua has been an integral part of the EdTech East Africa journey for many years, most recently as a Board Member and a Partner through EdTech Hub, where she has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership, a deep understanding of the EdTech landscape, and an unwavering commitment to our mission. She brings a wealth of experience, a fresh perspective, and an infectious energy that perfectly positions her to lead EdTech East Africa into its next phase of growth. Her strategic insights, strong community ties, and proven ability to execute will be instrumental as we continue to expand our impact across Africa.
In her capacity as CEO, Ciku’s focus will be exploring new avenues for impact, deepening our community engagement and ensuring that EdTech East Africa remains at the forefront of educational transformation. Ciku is passionate about further democratizing access to quality education through technology, empowering teachers to be digital champions, fostering regional collaboration, and amplifying the voice of African EdTech innovators on the global stage.
Join us in welcoming Ciku Mbugua to EdTech East Africa and celebrating Jenn’s remarkable legacy. Our future as an organization is bright, and we are thrilled to embark on this next chapter with all of you. Here’s to a future of continued collaboration, innovation, and educational transformation!
Congratulations Ciku Mbugua!
