Kenyan social commerce startup Chpter has announced that its co-founders, Tesh Mbaabu and Mesongo Sibuti, have stepped down from their leadership roles as of mid-September 2025.
The company’s original founder, Mark Kiarie, has returned as CEO to lead the next phase of the business.
Mbaabu and Sibuti joined Chpter in early 2024 and helped the company grow quickly. During their time, Chpter expanded to 14 African countries, onboarded over 3,500 businesses, and partnered with fintech giant Flutterwave. They also launched Pluto, a new AI-powered WhatsApp app for transactions.
In a message to staff and investors, Mbaabu said they believed it was best for Kiarie to return as CEO to provide clear vision and leadership. Both co-founders expressed support for this change and said they plan to start new projects, including a digital banking startup called Cloud9.
This shift sheds light on the challenges fast-growing African startups face when balancing rapid expansion with clear leadership.
