CECABUL was born out of lived experience, not theory.

In 2007, our founder, Felix, entered the marketplace immediately after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Mechatronics. In his first professional role as a design engineer, he found himself as the only engineer in the organization—tasked with making high-stakes product design decisions with minimal industry exposure, no mentor, no coach, and no leadership guidance. The work demanded innovation, accountability, and precision, yet support structures were absent. Sleepless nights, repeated trial-and-error, and occasional failure became the learning path.

This pattern repeated itself across subsequent roles in business development, research and development, marketing, and systems administration. Working largely within SMEs, Felix often carried responsibility beyond his training or experience. Organizations depended on an uncoached manager to make decisions that shaped revenue, people, and long-term sustainability. The cost of this gap was not borne by leadership alone—teams shared in the consequences of poor decisions. As the saying goes, you give what you have.

Over time, critical questions emerged:

• Must every graduate rise into leadership through anxiety, fear , and prolonged trial-and-error?
• Must it take over 15 years for professionals to discover their strengths and unlock their their potential?
• Must MSMEs - the backbone of Africa's economy - continue to struggle and fail due to leadership gaps?
• Must talent remain unexploited simply because there is no handholding?

These questions became the catalyst for CECABUL.

In Kenya, 98% of businesses are SMEs. They drive the economy, yet founders often fail to capture value due to systemic cash leaks—wrong decisions across finance, operations, people management, and strategy. Skilled leaders are developed through long experience and are therefore expensive, placing them beyond the reach of most SMEs. The result is a cycle of inefficiency, frustration, and stagnation.

CECABUL exists to break that cycle—by intentionally building leadership capacity where it matters most.

Build Africa from Within.

CECABUL is grounded in a firm conviction: Africa is not poor in potential; it is under-developed in capacity.

Africa’s population is not only a workforce—it is a market, an innovation engine, and a growth force. Sustainable development cannot be achieved by perpetually importing expertise. True transformation requires internal capacity building, where leadership, professionalism, and productivity are cultivated locally and deployed at scale.

Our ambition is to contribute to Africa’s transition from a consumer economy to a producer economy, by empowering individuals and institutions to lead competently, ethically, and strategically.

Vision

‎Supply cultured and productive professionals who will build scalable and sustainable institutions in Africa

Mission

‎We equip change makers in the marketplace through a 3-tier upskilling model, providing self-mastery, managerial effectiveness, and business leadership competencies

Core Values

• Empathy – Understanding people, context, and challenges before prescribing solutions 
• Excellence – Upholding high standards in leadership, thinking, and execution
• Empowerment – Equipping individuals and institutions to lead independently and sustainably

CECABUL has grown deliberately and learning-driven.

1. Ideation Phase (2021–2022)

This phase focused on research, benchmarking, curriculum development, and prototyping. The objective was to design an African-contextual leadership and capacity-building framework grounded in real organizational challenges.

2. Pilot Programs (2023–2024)

Five cohorts were successfully completed, allowing CECABUL to test, refine, and validate its methodologies with real participants across sectors.

3. Institutionalization Phase (2026 and beyond)

CECABUL is transitioning into a fully institutionalized centre, supported by:

• An advisory Board 
• Program moderators and subject experts
• Structures business units for sustainability and scale

CECABUL’s methodology has evolved through observation and evidence.

Initially, the full leadership program ran for 12 weeks, covering self-leadership, team leadership, and organizational leadership. While knowledge transfer was achieved, deeper assessment revealed a gap between knowledge and understanding.

In response:

• Each leadership level was redesigned into a standalone 10-week program, allowing depth over speed.

• Immersion sessions were introduced to reinforce practical understanding.

• An industrial placement and mentorship department was established to bridge learning with execution.

Additionally, while early programs focused primarily on university graduates, CECABUL strategically shifted its emphasis toward working managers, founders, and organizational leaders, where immediate impact and multiplier effects are highest.

Key lessons continue to shape CECABUL’s direction:

1. Businesses can grow 10X with the right leadership
2. Demand for effective leadership is accelerating in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution
3. Potential can be systematically cultured into high performance
4. Strong governance is essential for institutional credibility and long-term impact

This learning informed the establishment of CECABUL’s Advisory Board and strengthened its governance framework.

CECABUL’s impact is both measurable and transformational.

Tangible Outcomes

• Individuals trained: 240
• Institutions supported: 27
• Mindset transformation: ~50% measurable shift
• Employability increase: ~70%
• Organizational outcomes: Reduced risk exposure, minimized losses, lower employee turnover, and business expansion

Intangible Impact

• Elevated confidence and leadership presence
• Clarity of purpose and strategic direction
• Stronger ethical leadership
• Adoption of systems thinking across organizations

Transformation Patterns Observed

• Participants launching successful enterprises
• Graduates transitioning into C-suite and senior leadership roles
• Improved systems, processes, and revenue performance within organizations

Looking ahead, CECABUL is focused on scale, access, and sustainability.

Strategic Ambitions

• Establish Business Experience Centres in every county in Kenya

• Enhance program design for greater relatability and ease of delivery

• Build robust digital learning platforms to expand reach

• Develop strategic partnerships to support scholarship programs

Priority Focus Areas

• Leadership and governance
• Youth development
• Women empowerment
• SMEs and enterprise leadership
• Public sector capacity building
• Faith-based and values-driven leadership