It is not every day that one gets to interview a sitting president or even a potential head of state, hence it provides an opportunity that could catapult a journalist’s journey to the next level.
Over the past few years, only a handful of journalists have been accorded the opportunity, with the interview shaping their careers to a definite high.
On the other side of the coin, handling such interviews with an influential person can either make or break their career due to its magnitude, with the journalist’s reputation hanging on the line.
Kanze Dena
In the case of former Citizen TV news anchor Kanze Dena, her stars aligned during the interview in 2017 alongside her former colleague, Lulu Hassan during a special edition held on March 20, 2017.
At the time, the interview elicited debate with a section of Kenyans opining that the two interviewers played softly by dwelling on issues that did not affect the majority of the public.
A few months later, former State House Chief of Staff, Nzioka Waita announced that Dena was appointed as his deputy State House spokesperson and deputy head of the Presidential Strategic Communication Unit (PSCU) – a position that she holds to date.
Louis Otieno
In the early 2000s, Louis Otieno was a household name who was emulated by every journalist due to his eloquence and star-studded nature.
His personality, however, acted as a double-edged sword as it also rubbed some people the wrong way- with former colleagues alleging that he was a difficult person to work with.
In a recent podcast by Nation, the journalist recalled an interview he had with then Kanu presidential candidate Uhuru Kenyatta.
Uhuru had been endorsed by former president Daniel arap Moi as his successor under the KANU party ticket. Being little known, his handlers decided to take him on a media tour – the first destination being on Louis Otieno’s show – then regarded as the king of TV interviews.
The celebrated journalist described the interview as the worst TV interview in his career and one which haunted him for years.
“We did not do a pre-show conversation to become acquainted and agree on talking points. When we went on air, we were civil for just two minutes. I had never heard of him so I told him he was like someone who had just been dropped from space.
“I immediately realised the guy had a temper and the interview degenerated into a shouting match because I realised the elite in this country are not used to being talked back,”
This resulted in a yelling match whereby the journalist removed his earpiece to avoid his director’s instructions on how to salvage the interview.
“I think I broke all the rules,” Otieno stated in a tell-all podcast dubbed Paradise Lost: The Story of Louis Otieno.
Uhuru’s handlers later attempted to make amends and organised a secret rendevous at a city hotel.
“I had one of those meetings you see in hotels. I was told to go to this hotel and was directed to a room where Uhuru Kenyatta walked in a few minutes later. I told him I was sorry for losing my cool but I also told him I was not sorry for anything else since he had come unprepared.
“He did most of the talking and actually started giving me re-assurances about my job so it became awkward and I left after 10 minutes,” the retired journalist recalled.
Louis’ star continued to shine but he continued to make powerful enemies – from NTV where he had interviewed Uhuru, he moved to KTN where he left under a cloud of discomfort from his bosses when switching to Citizen TV.
From Citizen, he headed to K24 after he felt his bosses at Royal Media Services (RMS) had not negotiated his contract in good faith.
Things would come full circle as years later, Africa Kenya Holdings – a company linked to the Uhuru’s family took over K24 after its former owner Rose Kimotho was unable to pay a Ksh12 million overdraft that grew to Ksh 70 million. The cash was owed to a bank that is owned by the President’s family.
At the time, the journalist narrated that the new owners had put in place his former senior bosses, who according to Otieno took revenge by essentially shutting him down from being on air.
He quit the media industry on account of the acrimonious ways he had left all the other players in the industry.
Source: kENYANS.CO.KE
