Citizen TV sports anchor Bernard Ndong has called it quits after working at the Kilimani-based media for 13 years.
In a colourful sign-off on the night of Saturday, June 25, the news anchor was surprised with a cake and heartfelt messages from his colleagues.
Nearly tearing up, the anchor noted that he was humbled to have worked at the Royal Media Services (RMS) alongside such heavyweights as Waihiga Mwaura and Mike Okinyi.
 “It has been 13 years. It has been a journey. Thank you so much, I am humbled. 13 years have been a journey and a half. This is Bernard Ndong signing off for the final time,” stated Ndong.
His colleague Mike Okinyi, via a call-in from Naivasha, hailed Ndong as a dependable and driven person who had transitioned to the screen from his sales job at the same media house.
“Bernard, I know this one catches you by surprise. There was lunch by then there is this. It’s been a roller coaster with you on the desk from the first day that you came from sales and we went to the studio with Kirigo Ng’arua do a screen test and you asked, ‘can I join?’ and I said please come. It was three weeks of hard training.
“When I sent the clip to our then boss Farida Karoney, she had no doubt and said take Ndong for sports and the rest is history. You have developed to be one of the strongest people I have worked with. We wish you all the best,” reminisced Okinyi.
Mwaura, who first worked on the sports desk before transitioning to general news, noted that he had developed a personal bond with Ndong.
The duo kicked off their careers at RMS roughly at the same time and experienced similar chances while charting their way to the top.
“To me, you are a brother. You know the journey that we started together 13 years ago. You remember a time we went out for this trip and there was no place to sleep. I remember I slept on the table and you on a chair and that is how our friendship built up from there. The Citizen spots desk will not be the same,” stated Waihiga.
Mukami Wambora, who also works on the sports desk, thanked Okinyi and Ndong for holding her hand when she joined. She is not trained as a journalist but credits her knowledge to the duo.
 “I am not a trained journalist, I just have a passion for sports. I came in completely raw and Mike and Benard, you guys had to teach me how to script and edit from the very beginning and I have never felt so supported within a team.
“You’ve been such a cheerleader for me and you have played such a big role in my career and you are also such an amazing human being,” stated Wambora.
“Congratulations bro, you’ve done well. You are one of those guys that  I will miss in the new room. Where you are going, they are richer, we are a little poorer with your departure but we are also happy with your growth. Go in peace to serve the world and improve journalism,” added Francis Gachuri.
Earlier, RMS employees among them Swahili news anchor Lulu Hassan, her English counterpart Sam Gituku and Swahili anchor Swaleh Mdoe held a luncheon in celebration of the anchor.
Ndong did not however reveal his next assignment.
Source: kENYANS.CO.KE
