Inter-university challenge: Graduates with a passion for leadership, management

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) students recently emerged the top winner of the recently held Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Inter-University Strategic Business Leadership Challenge. 

The Veex Strategia team, comprising three team members, scored the highest points in the third and final stage, out of the overall 38 institutions of higher learning who had participated in the challenge from across 15 counties in Kenya.

In their own words, Enock Omonywa, Esther Wanjohi, and Xavier Onyangi share their journey of resilience to winning Sh150,000 each worth of scholarship from ACCA and internship placements in accountancy firms such as PKF and RSM, in readiness for the job market.

 Enock Omonywa, 23, Team Leader

I enrolled at JKUAT to pursue a Bachelors’ Degree in Strategic Management in 2017. Campus life has been a great experience. It is on campus where I cultivated team-spirit and team leadership. I love teams and teamwork, they are the best.

Alongside my Degree, I have acquired certificates in monitoring and evaluation, data analytics basics, inclusivity in leadership and application of everyday leadership and still passionate about pursuing more knowledge.

Tell us how you joined the leadership competition?

In August 2021, I received a message from JKUAT that ACCA was planning an Inter-University Strategic Business Leaders Challenge. I was not certain about joining the Challenge until one of my classmates encouraged me to send my application.

 I thought about it and quickly gathered two of my classmates, Vallary and Esther doing the same Strategic Management course since our first year in Campus. My roommate, Xavier, who had just completed his Banking and Finance Degree, also joined the team. Together, we formed ‘VEEX Strategia’. VEEX is derived from our initials, Vallary,
Esther, Enock and Xavier.

Only a few minutes to the deadline, the Veex Strategia team submitted our registration to the competition. We took the challenge as a way to curb boredom and post schooling anxiety as we awaited graduation. Unfortunately, one of our team members Vallary dropped out of the challenge due to unavoidable circumstances from her side, a decision that demoralised us especially to me as the team leader.

Fortunately, we were successful, through round 1 and 2, having been position 19 out of 266 teams (comprising four students each) who had submitted their applications from 38 institutions of higher learning. On January 27, 2022, we were informed that we had made it among the top 11 finalists.

How was the challenge like?

While it was not easy giving our presentation in front of judges and the audience, we put our best foot forward. Tension ran high as the judging panel representative from KPMG East Africa associate director people, performance and culture Ms Damaris Lilech announced the winners.

Winners of the first runners up position were Incredibles from Egerton University, while Frontline Champions won the second runners up. Our Veex Strategia team was declared the overall winners of the challenge, a position we as a team could never have imagined.

Having left home with only a notebook and a pen, we in turn took home a Sh150,000 worth of ACCA scholarship, laptop, trophy, certificate of participation and an ACCA gift hamper.  

While the win gave us a “celebrity” status on the media platforms, meeting with the JKUAT Management Board and key players in the accounting space, it has taught me that classroom knowledge is a jewel and it just needs to be put to practice in little steps to be job market-ready.

Future plans?

This victory is timely. I was in search of job opportunities to enable me foot my bills as I aim to support my siblings, two of them currently in high school, one in primary school and our last born in a special school. I hope to be their bread winner to assist my parents who are unable due to financial constraints.

In the near future, I look forward to being the next business strategy consultant.  I would love to complete my ACCA studies and acquire the ACCA membership and later on become Enock Omonywa, FCCA. We are indeed grateful to ACCA for this opportunity and to our mentors Hadijah Nannyomo (EY), and from JKUAT team Dr Samwel Obino Mokaya, Dr Muchelule Yusuf and Ms Linet Omwenga from JKUAT. 

Esther Wanjohi, 22, Team Member

How has your life journey been growing up, education, to winning ACCA award, scholarship?

 “My life is a beautiful story” is a slogan I resonate with. This is because all the experiences I go through in my day to day endeavours are to make my story full of flavor and marvel. Growing up in Mugamba Ciura sub-location in Kirinyaga County, I have witnessed friends and family support and celebrate small wins. 

I studied my primary level in Bonanza Primary School and secondary level in Kahuhia Girls High school where my growth of leadership skills began. I finally pursued my undergraduate in JKUAT taking BSc. Strategic Management and graduated in November 2021. JKUAT was also a place that gave me a platform to learn new skills that I did not have and also network with people from diverse backgrounds.

When I heard about the ACCA Inter-University Strategic Business Leadership Challenge, I felt I was equal to the task with my background in Strategic Management. I was assured that this was a game- changer. I wouldn’t say that for me it was a smooth journey but it has had its fair share of trials which prompted me to almost quit. However, through it all and in all I got to push through, and I thank God for the amazing outcome. I have learnt to persevere and to fight on no matter what. 

How has ACCA impacted your profession, life?

I have been able to learn the spirit of team work, resilience, critical thinking and problem solving. It has also helped me build a professional network, where I have interacted with various people who have excelled in their careers. Equally I got to interact with my fellow peers who together we are at the start of building our careers. I am also grateful to ACCA as it gave me a platform for mentorship by Ms. Hadijah Nannyomo.

Future plans career wise?

 I believe I am a star in the rising hence I am optimistic that my career is also bright. My future plans for my career begins with ACCA, where I will enrol in studying the ACCA course up to completion and get my ACCA Qualification by passing my exams.

 I am also looking into getting in the field of Strategic Management in areas of consulting in monitoring and evaluation, marketing and being a strategic analyst. I hope one day to open my own consulting firm.

Xavier Onyangi, 24, Team Member

How has your life journey been growing up, education, to winning ACCA award and scholarship?

Born in 1998, I am the first born of my two siblings to Mr and Mrs Onyangi of Kiamokama village in Masaba South, Kisii County. I was raised up in a closely-knit society where any adult was your parent, and if old enough, your grandparent would introduce you to a church environment early on and later attend school in the same locality.

My first school was Joylimo Academy for my pre-school then joined Okayo Memorial Academy, (OMA) for my Primary School. I later joined St. Mary’s Mosocho Boys Boarding Primary School where I sat for my KCPE scoring a B+ of 346 marks which gave me a position at St. John’s Nyamagwa Boys’ High school where I sat for my KCSE in 2015 and scored a C+. I decided to re-join High School and enrolled to Njega Boys’ Secondary School to sit the KCSE examinations for the second time, scoring a B+ that qualified me to join JKUAT for a BSc. Banking and Finance Degree where I graduated in 2021 with a Second Class Honours-Upper Division. 

To enhance my capacity, I have enrolled in few online courses, namely the Principles of Sustainable Finance and Finance for start-ups.  I am also a member of Kenya Accountants and Secretaries National Examination Board (KASNEB) where I am currently preparing for my intermediate level exams for Certified Investment and Financial Analyst (CIFA) and in the process of registering for Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA course.

Over this entire period, I have been privileged to serve people in various capacities, from class representative, bell ringer, and Mathematics promoter to church leader in a Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) Group at JKUAT. My leadership skills have helped me reap fruits and improved my personality.

In my life, I have always won awards ranging from those of academic excellence to those of co-curricular activities. However, the award that has put me in the spotlight is winning the ACCA- Inter-University SBL Challenge, securing an ACCA scholarship worth Sh150 000.

How has the leadership challenge impacted your profession, life?

The challenge has opened up a lot of job and internship opportunities, in fact, two of the big accountancy firms, PKF and RSM have offered two slots each for full time employment. Recently, our team was invited to a meeting with JKUAT Vice Chancellor Professor Victoria Ngumi, The School of Business and Entrepreneurship Dean Prof. CPA Florence Memba, who commended us for our great performance and for rightfully representing the University in business and entrepreneurship field and for emerging winners of such a competition. 

My gratitude goes to our mentor Ms. Hadijah Nannyomo of Ernst & Young Global Limited (EY) who has assisted me to become a career professional. This has helped me to revamp my profile on LinkedIn, as it is a great platform where potential employers visit. Special thanks also to Dr. Mokaya Obino and Dr. Muchelule for helping us out during the entire period of this challenge.

Future plans career wise?

Winning the ACCA scholarship is a great opportunity to start my ACCA journey earlier than anticipated with an aim of becoming an ACCA member and FCCA later. This will also give me a chance to begin my career working with the big companies around and so much more.

 My short term plan is to complete the Certified Investment and Financial Analysts (CIFA) examinations by next year; push the ACCA course and establish my career as a financial analyst and advisor and try my hand in green finance.

 I also seek to mentor young people like myself, build a personal brand and work with like-minded companies to help solve societal problems and improve the lives of people and corporations.

To my fellow young people, life is worth living for as long as you put yourself in opportunities of learning, life will make sense, hold on and do not despair. Be diligent in whatever you do and hope. Yes, hope!