Linus Kaikai Challenges Equity Scholars to Build Careers on Foundation of Integrity

Speaking during the induction for the 2026 cohort in Nairobi, Royal Media Services Group Editorial Director and Head of Strategy, Linus Kaikai, emphasised that personal values, not background, will ultimately define their success.

He shared his own journey, from a childhood in rural Trans Mara to a successful media career, to illustrate his point.

“Your background does not define your future, but your integrity will,” Kaikai advised the scholars.

“My story is not so different from yours, so I can tell you that success is built on unshakeable personal values. Integrity is not something that can be delegated; it is the personal honesty and moral uprightness you must cultivate within yourself before you can apply it professionally or academically. You cannot fake it and make it. When the pillars of personal, professional, and academic integrity are weak, you risk collapsing under pressure, so anchor your careers on this crucial value.”

The induction marks the start of a structured leadership journey under the ELP, a flagship initiative of the Equity Group Foundation (EGF) launched in 1998.

To date, the program has benefited over 29,515 university scholars across the region. It features a competitive paid internship that admits top-performing students; typically, the highest-ranking boy and girl in each county or district where Equity Bank operates, across Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda.

A key aim of the program is to empower academically gifted youth through career mentorship, leadership development, and placement in top global universities.

To date, a total of 1,098 students have successfully received admission to these universities on fully funded scholarships, including Ivy League institutions such as Columbia University, Harvard University, Princeton University, and the University of Pennsylvania.

Equity Group Managing Director and CEO, Dr James Mwangi, said the program is designed to nurture the next generation of leaders who will drive societal change on the continent.

“The Equity Leaders Programme is not just a celebration of academic excellence; it is a reaffirmation of our long-term commitment to transforming lives and entire communities through education and leadership,” Dr Mwangi said.

“These scholars represent the future doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers who will be the catalysts for that transformation and uplift those around them.”

The impact of these leaders is already evident. Graduates of the program contribute meaningfully to their communities by mentoring younger scholars and through initiatives such as the flagship Equity Afya health program.

Through this initiative, ELP scholars who pursued medicine have been supported by EGF to establish medical centres.

There are now 147 Equity Afya centres across all 47 counties in Kenya and five in the DRC, with plans to expand to 1,000 outpatient centres across East and Central Africa, making it the largest private network of outpatient medical centres in the region.

The 2026 Kenyan cohort includes 733 scholars from the Wings to Fly and Elimu scholarship programs, top-performing students from every sub-county, and top national performers.

After the two-week induction, all scholars will be posted to Equity branches for their internship placements across Kenya.