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The Kenyan media space is rapidly changing with legends leaving their mark and new stars emerging to take the game a notch higher.
Among the notable figures in the media ecosystem is Citizen TV’s Olive Burrows whose journey to media stardom is an inspiring story of resilience, boldly embracing challenges and rising above personal biases to excel.
She has worked in almost all leading media houses in the country and her hard work, creativity, skill and talent as a journalist stands out.
Early life & education
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Burrows whose middle name is Kalekye was born as the only child to a Kamba mother and a Kenyan father of mixed heritage featuring a British father and Tanzanian mother.
Olive Burrows
Although she is not fluent in Kikamba, identifies more with her mother’s side and has half sisters and brothers.
She attended Malezi Primary School where she wrote her Kenya Certificate of Primary Education Examination and joined Kenya High School and eventually
She is an alumnus of Daystar University, an institution that has produced some of Kenya’s finest journalists and other professionals.
Burrows: I met Kirubi & he said he doesn’t like hiring fat people
Her entry into Kenya’s competitive media ecosystem was not a smooth one.
When she applied for a job at Capital for the first time, Burrows was full of hope especially when she made it up to the point of meeting the owner, Chris Kirubi.
READ: I met Kirubi and he said he doesn’t like hiring fat people – NTV’s Olive Burrows
However, these hopes were dashed when Kirubi told her that he does not like hiring fat people.
It took the intervention of Kirubi’s empathetic PA who forwarded her CV to the then Editorial Director Michael Mumo for another opening two years later and a media star was born.
I had applied for a job with Capital FM like two years earlier. I had even met Kirubi and then he said he doesn’t like hiring fat people. Then I thought that was done but then Michael Mumo who was the Editorial Director at the time gave me a call two years later. He told me I have an opening are you interested? Kirubi’s PA never forgot me. I think she felt for me so she told Mumo there’s this lady we have her CV. He was at the time looking for someone to blog for him.
Olive Burrows
She worked at Capital FM for six years, refining her skill and acquiring valuable experience that opened bigger doors in her impressive career spanning more than 18 years.
From Radio to TV & media stardom: The switch that paid off
May 2018 marked a significant switch as Burrows crossed over to NTV, with a remarkably smooth transition from radio to TV and quickly becoming one of Kenya’s most-sought-after talent in the media.
READ: Profile of Zubeidah Kananu: Editors Guild election win, education, career & family
While at NTV, Burrows cohosted prime time news alongside Dennis Okari and conducted high-profile interviews in which her eloquence while seeking answers to the hard questions stood out.
After six years of gracing the screens at NTV, she made another career move, transitioning to Citizen TV to replace Victoria Rubadiri who left the media house to join CNN.
Career highlights & notable interviews
She was the only Kenyan journalist who interviewed former US President Barack Obama during his visit to Kenya in 2015 he was president.
Olive Burrows
At the time, Burrows was working for Capital FM where she had an impressive career spanning more than six years.
Other prominent figures she has interviewed include Melinda Gates (former wife of Bill Gates), UN Secretary General António Guterres, former US Secretary of State John Kerry, former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Elizabeth Frazer and several Presidents.
She recently interviewed Peter Zalmayev the director of the Eurasia Democracy Initiative with her mastery of global affairs and geopolitics standing out.
Notable highlights in her career including making a smooth transition from radio to TV and acing it.