Our history

The creation of Karibu Community Homes marks a significant milestone, bringing together the strengths of Inquilab and Westway Housing Associations. Following a thorough consultation with residents, employees, and key stakeholders, the merger was approved by both boards on 28 February 2024. Supported by legal advice from Devonshires, the merger officially came into effect on 1 April 2024.

Karibu now manages over 1,900 properties, reflecting the combined expertise and capacity of the two organisations. This partnership is underpinned by a shared commitment to placing customers' voices at the heart of decision-making and service delivery.

Objectives of the Merger

Karibu aims to:

• Deliver improved services for customers.
• Increase investment in maintaining and upgrading existing homes while building new ones.
• Enhance career opportunities to attract and retain talented colleagues.

Leadership Continuity

To ensure stability and utilise existing expertise, key leadership roles were carried over:

• Dave Baptiste, former Chair of Westway, became the Chair of Karibu on 1 April 2024.
• Ricky Scipio, previously Managing Director of Karibu and former CEO of Westway, took on the role of Karibu CEO on 1 October 2024.

Dave Baptiste, Chair of Karibu, said:

"Great customer service is at the heart of everything we do. The support of our customers, shareholders, and people has been instrumental in our decision to merge. Together, as Karibu, we are stronger and better placed to invest more in existing and new homes than we could individually. This merger enables us to combine the best practices of both organisations to enhance our services. I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved separately and even more excited about what we will achieve together."