News anchoring has evolved over the years; however, there are several journalists who pioneered the field. While some remain in the industry, others have transitioned to different paths.
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Tom Mboya, Beatrice Marshall & 8 other news anchors who lit up TV screens in the 2000s
Some of the journalists continue to anchor news while others have moved on to other things
Tom Mboya, Beatrice Marshall and Nimrod Taabu
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Here are some of the journalists who were among the first news anchors:
Catherine Kasavuli
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Considered a pioneer, Kasavuli was the first KTN news anchor to go on air live when broadcasters dropped pre-recorded news formats.
With a career spanning over 30 years, she made a name for herself as one of the first female news anchors in the country.
Catherine Kasavuli reading news 1991
Catherine Kasavuli reading news 1991
Pulse Live Kenya
At the time of her passing in December 2022, she anchored prime-time news on KBC in the "Legends Edition."
Raphael Tuju
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The former Jubilee Party Secretary-General began his career as a news anchor on KTN before transitioning into politics.
Raphael Tuju during his days at KTN
Raphael Tuju during his days at KTN
Pulse Live Kenya
Tuju, known for his commendable mastery of the English language, became the first Kenyan journalist to produce a documentary addressing the spread and prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) during a time when HIV cases were on the rise.
Fayyaz Qureishi
Qureishi graced the screens of KTN from the early 1990s until 2005 when he left.
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Fayyaz Qureishi
Fayyaz Qureishi
Pulse Live Kenya
Well-versed in English, he relocated to the UK, where he resided for many years before returning to Kenya. Today, he is part of the Legends Edition lineup alongside other veteran news anchors.
Tom Mboya
CNN recognized Tom Mboya as the best journalist on the African continent in 2012. He initially pursued a career in the hospitality industry before becoming a business reporter at KBC.
Veteran news presenter Tom Mboya
Veteran news presenter Tom Mboya
Pulse Live Kenya
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He later worked at Citizen TV alongside the likes of Michael Njenga, Franklin Wambugu and Julie Gichuru before joining NTV for a few years, followed by a return to Citizen TV.
In 2021, he was hired by KBC under the Legends Edition program to anchor prime-time news on Fridays.
Beatrice Marshall
Marshall is one of the most successful female journalists with a career spanning over two decades. She began as an anchor at KTN and gradually rose to become one of the chief anchors at the station.
Veteran news caster Beatrice Marshall
Veteran news caster Beatrice Marshall
Pulse Live Kenya
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Marshall set the pace for women journalists, not only in conquering the local media space but also venturing into international media, such as CTGN.
John Sibi Okumu
Known more as a thespian, John Sibi Okumu was also a news anchor on KTN. He hosted a popular TV program called 'The Summit,' where he interviewed Kenyan politicians.
John Sibi Okumu
John Sibi Okumu
Pulse Live Kenya
John Sibi was among the few journalists who got to interview the late President Daniel Moi.
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Nimrod Taabu
Nimrod Taabu is one of the journalists who has maintained consistency throughout the years.
Citizen TV reporter Nimrod Taabu
Citizen TV reporter Nimrod Taabu
Pulse Live Kenya
He started his career in 2000 as an assistant reporter before moving to NTV, where he anchored the 7PM news. Taabu later joined Citizen TV in 2018, where he remains to this day.
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Badi Muhsin
The late TV presenter was one of the first journalists to undertake news anchoring in modern-day journalism.
Muhsin anchored the popular show 'Dira ya Dunia' and later returned to anchoring news on KBC in a program called the 'Legends Show' before his demise in 2021.
Veteran KBC journalist Badi Muhsin dies
Pulse Live Kenya
He held the record for being one of Kenya's longest-serving Kiswahili news anchors, with a career spanning over 30 years.
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Swaleh Mdoe
Mdoe has been a part of the media landscape since 1991, working in both print and electronic media.
He started anchoring news at Nation TV in 1999 and later moved to KTN, where he served as the Kiswahili News editor and anchor for six years.
News anchor Swaleh Mdoe
News anchor Swaleh Mdoe
Pulse Live Kenya
In 2007, he joined Royal Media Services (RMS) and is currently an editor and anchor for Kiswahili news at Citizen TV.
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Ali Manzu
Ali Khamis Manzu is a celebrated KTN Swahili news anchor whose career began in 2002 as an intern at KBC's Sauti House in Mombasa, working in video production.
KTN News anchor Ali Manzu
KTN News anchor Ali Manzu
Pulse Live Kenya
He worked for several community radio stations before joining KTN, where he anchors news and also works as a reporter. Manzu is known for his eloquence, commanding voice, and understanding of various subjects.
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