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Journalists took a leading role in creating and sharing pertinent content regarding the election in fulfilling their mandate of informing the electorate and civic education.
This edition will focus on some of the notable journalists who saw their careers shoot up after their extensive coverage of the 2022 General Election.
Here are five TV journalists, including four news anchors, whose careers were upended by the coverage
Abdikadr Ayub – Citizen TV
Citizen TV’s Ayub Abdikadir was one of the notable journalists who advanced their careers courtesy of their performances during the election coverage period.
The news anchor was thrust into the spotlight after a fiery roundtable interview with former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairperson Wafula Chebukati and Chief Executive Officer Hussein Marjan.
Ayub stood out in the joint panel of journalists which then earned him praises for his due diligence and articulation of critical issues touching on the commission’s preparedness.
Shortly after the interview, Ayub received a call from Royal Media Sevices inviting him to take up a new job at the broadcasting giant. Speaking in a past interview, the now-prominent journalist explained how his journalism career took an unexpected turn shortly after the interview with Chebukati.
He noted that a senior figure in the RMS called him a day after his interview from which a decision to join his lifetime dream job became a reality.
Serfine Achieng’
Serfine Achieng’ also registered an impressive rise in her journalism career after switching to Citizen TV in the run-up to the August General Election.
Achieng’ co-hosted a debate pitting two politicians during the Nairobi Gubernatorial debate alongside Ayub Abdikadir where their onscreen chemistry was evident.
The duo, despite hosting a second-tier debate of candidates whose popularity was below five per cent, staged a superb show with their eloquence and objectiveness during the debate.
Less than a month later, Acheing’ was announced as one of the newly recruited journalists by Citizen TV in a list featuring some of the top break-out journalists of the day. She now hosts the Day Break show alongside Abdikadir.
Stephen Letoo
Despite being a long-standing reporter in the media field, Citizen TV’s Stephen Letoo earned prominence owing to his omnipresence throughout the campaign period.
He became a common sight, especially in the Azimio la Umoja Coalition campaigns where he was mostly assigned as a field reporter.
His close association with the coalition earned him friends and foes, with a section of Kenyans accusing him of being partisan in his coverage. However, the seasoned reporter dismissed the accusations and affirmed that he only provided coverage in line with his delegation by the media house.
So stellar was his performance that then Presidentelect William Ruto gave him a shout-out during a press briefing shortly after winning the election.
Despite his absence, President hilariously asked about his whereabouts and sent the gathering to a frenzy. When asked about his special mention, Letoo asserted that the shout-out was due to his commitment to informing the public during the campaigns.
Liz Jackson
Journalists in the online media space also took up an active role in the coverage of the elections through different platforms. Among them was Liz Jackson, a journalist working for SPM Buzz who caught the nation’s attention after asking for Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua’s contact at State House.
When asked about her bold request to the CS, the then-young journalist noted that she was pursuing a chance to have an exclusive interview with Mutua.
A video capturing her conversing and taking a selfie with the CS then went viral sparking mixed reactions from Kenyans on social media.
Eric Latiff
The Spice FM radio presenter caught many by surprise after his stunning performance during the Presidential Debate in July.
Despite being a quite unfamiliar face on television screens, Latiff was selected to host the most prominent Presidential Debate session pitting President William Ruto and his political nemesis Raila Odinga.
Sure enough, Latiff went on to stage a spectacular display in the debate- alongside Citizen TV‘s Yvonne Okwara.
His baritone voice, coupled with his near-perfect articulation of questions to President Ruto earned him praise and commendation from various quarters.
Zubeida Kananu
Known for her proper mastery of the Swahili language, Zubeida Kananu of KTN News was selected as one of the hosts of a much-hyped debate between Governor Johnson Sakaja and former Deputy Governor Polycarp Igathe.
She went on to stage a brave display, constantly posing difficult questions to the two candidates, On one popular occasion, Zubeida sparked a hilarious – yet tense moment after asking Sakaja whether he was certain about his name.
Her career has continued to flourish at the Mombasa Road-based media station where she is a senior News anchor. She also serves as the Vice President of the Kenya Editors Guild.
Source: kENYANS.CO.KE