Media personalities go through changes in their careers characterised by changing stations, getting promotions, starting side hustles while others go completely silent after leaving their jobs.
Some of them choose to go and focus on other life engagements while others reduce their online presence leaving their huge fanbase wondering what happened.
Jane Ngoiri
The celebrated Swahili news anchor announced her resignation from Nation Media Group on January 28, 2021. She ended her tenure at NTV without revealing her next move.
Ngoiri, who served as a Senior Swahili news anchor, stated that she would disclose her next step to her fans over her social media profiles.
She called it quits just a month after receiving the Head of State Commendation (HSc) by President Uhuru Kenyatta in December 2020.
Ever since, Ngoiri has been on the low. She reduced her social media activities making it hard to figure out her next move.
Makori Ongechi
Makori Ongechi is another media personality who had to call it quits. He had established himself as a renowned education reporter in the media fraternity.
However, on March 12, 2021, Ongechi resigned from Citizen TV, ending his four year stay at the station. Despite announcing that he had received numerous offers, he completely went silent.
“I have received offers from the Ministry of Education and other local media houses but I will settle on the company I want to join in the coming two weeks. I am a hardworking person and I am sure I will find a new home soon,” Ongechi stated in an interview after resigning.
Makori, who most expected would join competing media houses to further his career as a journalist, ended up living a low-key life while contemplating his next move.
He ventured fully into hawking farm produce such as bananas, avocados, and tomatoes from his homeland, Kisii. The side hustle earned him a significant amount of money to help him sustain his life.
The award-winning journalist, however, admitted that life outside the limelight as a media personality threatened to hurt his passion as a public informer, and especially on matters of education.
Shaffie Weru and Neville Musya
Radio Africa Group, the parent company to Homeboyz radio, terminated the services of its breakfast team over an alleged utterance deemed to advocate for gender-based transgressions on March 28, 2021.
Radio presenter Shaffie Weru, alongside his co-host Neville Musya and a popular Disc-jockey Joseph Munoru alias Dj Joe Mfalme all lost their jobs.
The firing made Shaffie and Neville go silent reducing even their social media activities. Although Shaffie resolved to hosting online shows on his social media pages, Neville went completely silent but made a comeback in another area.
The former Homeboyz radio and capital one presenter ventured into acting featuring in a blockbuster series titled ‘Four Play’. The show in which he was featured depicts the noir fast life of Nairobi, the toxicity of the urban city, the indicting side of sponsors, relationship struggles, and other trials in the city.
He played the part of a young boy trying to get into an emotional affair with a lady still in the urban setup.
Anne Kiguta
On November 21, 2020, Anne Kiguta tendered her resignation letter to Mediamax-owned station, K24 TV. She made the announcement citing fundamental disagreement on the editorial processes and direction the show was being forced to take.
“It is with regret that today I announce that I will not be returning to the program. Owing to a fundamental disagreement on the editorial processes and direction the show was being forced to take, I suspended my services as an independent contractor to the show on 21st November 2020. My decision was guided by the Code of Conduct contained in the Media Council of Kenya Act, which guides all journalists practising in the republic of Kenya. As a result, I can no longer in good conscience continue to be a part of Punchline,” she wrote.
Many expected Kiguta to make an instant comeback in one of the top TV stations, but since then she has kept a low profile, engaging in other forums that empower society.
Right now, she only takes part in moderation and other activities that are in line with her interests, especially with non-governmental bodies such as the United Nations.
Before her exit, her show, the punchline, attracted much controversy over how guests were being invited and how her seniors wanted the show to be packaged. Although her departure left a void, K24 went for Debarl Inea to pick up from where she left.
Other journalists who also left top media stations include Janet Mbugua, who used to host Monday Special alongside Hussein Mohammed. She left Citizen TV to focus on her own businesses. Now she runs the Inua Dada Foundation, which empowers, upholds, and protects the rights of every girl child. It focuses on identifying issues that affect Primary school girls such as; lack of sanitary towels, suitable sanitation facilities, and access to basic health care and support services.
Hussein also left Citizen TV in 2019 after 10 years. He quietly moved into consultancy and worked on a project funded by the US Government through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). He finally resurfaced after being appointed to Head DP Ruto’s communications.
Others include Julie Gichuru, Joy Doreen Biira, Kirigo Ng’arua, Asha Mwilu among others.
