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Senator Edwin Sifuna has appealed to President William Ruto to commemorate the late Catherine Kasavuli by constructing a national monument for all Kenyans to remember her.
During the funeral service for Kasavuli at the Friends Church in Nairobi on Thursday, January 12, Sifuna thanked President Ruto for assigning Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba, to oversee related matters to Kenya's culture.
He emphasised the importance of honouring prominent Kenyans who have passed away, including Kasavuli, who made a tremendous mark as the first female news anchor in the country.
"These individuals should be honoured, and I am glad that the Cabinet Secretary for Sports is also the Cabinet Secretary for culture. We should find ways to celebrate these heroes in life as well as in death," he said.
Sifuna also highlighted the hidden struggles facing the media industry, saying journalists face similar challenges as regular citizens despite their glamorous image on television.
"As the Secretary-General of ODM, I have had the opportunity to interact with members of the media. Not everything you see on TV is as glamorous as it seems. These individuals face struggles and problems, just like everyone else.
"Many of these media companies, some of whom are my friends, do not take adequate care of the people behind the cameras. It's just a fact. When you're told you need to dress well, those clothes are costly, shoes are expensive, and these days, I hear that you can't read the news without a weave, I don't know why. Even they come with a price," he added.
During the service journalists eulogised Kasavuli as a mentor who guided many media personalities at the early stages of their careers.
“She had the face, voice and soul for television. She was a kind person and we celebrate her today and the role she played in the media industry,” Royal Media Services boss Linus Kaikai paid tribute to the late Catherine Kasavuli.
Jimmy Gathu said the veteran news anchor taught me the importance of harnessing talent.