As the sun dipped behind the rugged Samburu hills on the evening of Monday, 27 October 2025, a convoy of four-wheel drives arrived at the serene Sarova Shaba Game Lodge. The air hummed with quiet anticipation. For the thirty accomplished women of the Women Directors Leadership Programme (WDLP) 2025 Cohort, this was more than a module—it was the culmination of a transformative journey that began months earlier in the structured boardrooms of Strathmore University Business School. Settling into the rhythm of the wild, accompanied by the calls of riverine birds and the rustle of acacia leaves, they prepared for four days of deep learning, reflection, and renewal. The atmosphere was both serene and electric, like the measured intensity of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2; a majestic overture to a week that would crescendo in insight, inspiration, and sisterhood.
The week opened with the pulse of the digital age. Guided by Dr. John Olukuru, the directors immersed themselves in Data-Driven Decision Making, discovering how numbers, when interpreted with wisdom, can shape an organization’s destiny. The dialogue evolved into emerging technology for boards, where artificial intelligence shifted from an abstract concept to a strategic partner. By mid-morning, the focus turned to cyber and information security, prompting the critical question: What keeps us awake at night? Between sessions, participants presented Action Learning Projects; bold initiatives honed over months of coaching. Each presentation added a note to a growing symphony of transformation, flowing with the intensity of the nearby Ewaso Ng’iro River—structured, yet stirring.
A reflective tone took over on Wednesday. James Wambugu took over on Wednesday, guiding the participants through a session on handling disruptive and unexpected events at the Board level. This session set the stage for raw conversations on crisis leadership and board vulnerabilities. The rhythm of the day built toward board selection, where spirited exchanges unfolded on diversity, composition, and generational renewal. The crescendo arrived not indoors, but outdoors, during a tree-planting exercise. Each sapling stood as a living metaphor for leadership: rooted in purpose, nurtured by learning, and destined to thrive long after the final day.
By Thursday, the learning matured into mastery. Under Kellen Kariuki’s guidance, the directors explored sessions on developing a sustainable strategy and the role of the board in interrogating strategy, balancing ambition with accountability. During subsequent sessions on enhancing the quality and impact of board papers, the participants uncovered how great governance often lies in precision: every line deliberate, every insight purposeful. The afternoon deepened with the focus shifting to the dynamic board legacy mindset, inviting reflection on credibility, continuity, and the mark leaders leaving beyond their tenure. As evening fell, a Sundowner in the Game Park bathed the landscape in golden light—a visual echo of the concerto’s final chords: beautiful, resolved, and resonant.
Friday morning began with a session on effective boardroom governance led once more by Kellen Kariuki. The room became a stage for decision-making, persuasion, and grace under pressure. In the afternoon, Mwangi Chege moved learning outdoors. Through a dynamic team-building session themed “Strengthening Trust, Alignment, and Collaboration in the Boardroom,” participants practiced effective communication, empathy, and unity. Laughter and leadership are intertwined, proving that governance is as much about connection as it is about competence. As night descended, a Bush Dinner under a star-strewn sky offered a fitting finale. Conversations turned soulful—soft, deliberate, and unforgettable, like the lingering notes of an adagio.
By Saturday’s dawn, the convoys prepared to depart. Yet the silence was filled with the resonance of transformation. Each woman left Samburu carrying not just lessons, but a symphony of leadership in her heart. The Women Directors Leadership Programme, offered through Strathmore University Business School, continues its mission of empowering women to lead with courage, character, and clarity in a rapidly evolving corporate landscape. Like a masterful composition, this journey began in quiet reflection. It concluded in harmonious triumph, a reminder that true leadership, like timeless music, endures long after the final note has faded.
Learn more about the Women Directors Leadership Programme here
Article By Denis O. Omumbwa, Programme Manager, WDLP
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