Television reporters and news anchors are some of the most notable individuals in Kenya owing to their constant presence on the screens.
While most anchors had their breakthrough in the industry after numerous attempts of applying for the specific roles, others, however, took a different route but still ended on TV.
Kenyans.co.ke takes a look at the unusual path that these famed journalists took to land the news anchoring role.
Jeff Koinange
Media Max Limited boss Rose Kimotho, during a surprise party organised to commemorate her contribution in the media industry, revealed the pivotal role that Shaila Koinange- wife to Citizen TV news anchor Jeff Koinange, played in order for him to join K24 back in 2007.
Kimotho had detailed that it was not easy to persuade Jeff, who was working in South Africa at the time, to take up the job.
“I phoned the wife (Shaila) the following day. She asked what I was starting, and told her it’s a station called K24, and that we will be doing news. She said she was not too sure and asked how much he would be paid,” Kimotho stated.
After a lengthy discussion with Shaila, Kimotho entailed that Jeff joined the station later that year and became a key figure in the station’s rise to stardom. The news anchor was synonymous with the show dubbed The Bench.
Citizen TV anchor Jeff Koinange at RMS Studios in September 2019
Facebook Terryanne Chebet
Former Citizen TV news anchor Terryanne Chebet revealed how she landed an anchor role at KBC against her desire. According to Chebet, she aspired to work as a full-time producer during her early career days.
This was influenced by the number of shows she had produced during that time among them Unlimited and Code 254.
However, she got wind of job cuts within the company. This prompted her to apply for a news anchoring position – which was being offered on a permanent basis at the time.
“It was honestly something I was not keen on, but it was the only way we could get a permanent job at KBC, so all the producers were telling us to apply, including Kanze Dena, Mohammed Ali (Jicho Pevu) who also applied,” Chebet stated.
The media personality revealed that she landed the job and got to anchor the prime time news at 9 pm.
Former Citizen TV news anchor Terryanne Chebet in an Instagram post on April 12, 2020
Instagram Dann Mwangi
The NTV business anchor in a past interview revealed the intricate role that his friendship with a media bosses’ daughter played in landing him the TV job.
While in his fourth year at Kenyatta University, Dann disclosed that he frequently performed as an artist in various gigs within the city.
While performing on one of the gigs, he met Julie Wang’ombe, daughter of former NMG CEO Linus Gitahi. The two became acquainted with one another as both were interested in art and particularly poetry.
Upon graduating, the news anchor invited Julie’s father to his thanksgiving ceremony. However, the media boss stated that he was unavailable during the material day.
“He instead asked if I would like to join NMG Graduate Trainee class,” Mwangi stated.
Not sure what the program entailed, Dann almost passed up the opportunity, but the persistence of Gitahi made him give in. Dann was posted to the TV reporting desk and three months later, he was transferred to the business desk.
NTV anchor Dann Mwangi in studio.
Daily Nation Waihiga Mwaura
The Citizen TV Anchor’s tale to the cream of the crop in the media industry was not without its hitches as well. He revealed in a past interview that an acting role ultimately led him to the news anchoring position.
The famed journalist began his career at a call center where his job was to engage and convince callers to buy into the services offered by the company.
Soon after, the journalist quit the organisation and got a job at a local bank. A few months into his new job, Waihiga figured out he didn’t like banking.
The news anchor, struggling to find his calling, ventured into acting in what he termed as trying his luck. After months of failed auditions, he finally landed a role in a TV series known as The Team: Kenya, which aired on Citizen TV.
The show primarily focused on using soccer as the common ground to preach unity and root out social conflicts among the youths.
He detailed that the show became a platform where he was able to showcase his talent and months later was absorbed into the sports desk, a chance that catapulted him into anchoring the prime time news bulletin.
Citizen TV news anchor Waihiga Mwaura moderating a World Bank forum in 2019
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