The Rotary Club of Nanyuki ushered in new leadership, with Becky Ngatia officially taking over the presidency in a vibrant ceremony held at Nickolee Hotel, Laikipia County.
Vowing to champion sustainability and long-term impact, President Ngatia laid out an ambitious, community-driven vision for her tenure, centred around philanthropy for development, community impact, environmental stewardship, and youth empowerment.
In her acceptance speech, Ngatia emphasised the Rotary Club of Nanyuki’s evolving role in delivering transformational change.
“We want to foster a philanthropic atmosphere by encouraging all members to give towards club initiatives and the Rotary Foundation,” she said.
“We will create fun and engaging fundraising events that make every member feel valued in their support.”
Among her top priorities are expanding the club’s network of community libraries.
“We currently have seven satellite libraries, and soon, we will have eight. We also plan to plant over trees across the Mt. Kenya region, 90 per cent of which will be indigenous species and 10 per cent fruit trees.”
Ngatia also announced plans to establish Interact Clubs in schools around Laikipia to engage young people in environmental conservation.
“Each school will manage its own tree-planting project, helping to build leadership skills and community service values among students,” she said.
District Governor Dr. Joe Kamau graced the installation ceremony, featuring a powerful keynote address by Dr. Farida Karoney, Chair of the National Lottery Board and former Cabinet Secretary for Lands and Physical Planning.
Dr. Karoney, renowned for her role in digitising Kenya’s land records and leading public sector reforms, urged the new Rotary leadership to be futuristic.
“Build a pipeline of leaders,” she said. “ I am encouraged to see many young people in this club. Speak up, stand for your ideas, and do not fear being vulnerable,” she added.
She challenged the board to nurture emerging leaders with empathy and resilience. “Leadership is about people. Create psychological safety nets, allow your teams to fail and learn, and mentor others. Build support systems that allow work-life integration,” she advised, drawing from her transformative leadership journey.
Outgoing President Audrey Kathurima reflected on Dr. Karoney’s interaction with club members as a valuable learning moment,
“Her systems-thinking approach and strategic foresight offer a blueprint for impactful leadership. Her digitisation of land services was a landmark achievement in fighting corruption and promoting citizen-centred governance. Her interdisciplinary training has shaped this systems-thinking approach, integrating analytical rigour, strategic foresight, and people-centred leadership. Let us all learn from her.”
The event culminated in a renewed commitment from attendees to support Rotary’s greening initiatives, particularly the ambitious tree-planting campaign aimed at restoring local ecosystems and instilling environmental consciousness in future generations.
