Yvonne Okwara’s departure from Citizen TV marks the end of a chapter in a journalism career spanning two decades.
But as she steps into a new role, it is the journey behind those 20 years that offers a glimpse into the journalist she has become, the people who shaped her, the lessons she carries and the convictions that have kept her asking questions.
In her farewell speech, Okwara reflected on her career, revisiting the uncertainty and promise of her early days in journalism, recalling a sense of purpose that has endured throughout the past two decades.
“When I walked through these doors, twenty years ago, I was young fresh out of university, with a microbiology degree some television experience from my youth, but teaming with vibrance, optimism for this great craft of journalism and for this country,” she recalled.
That optimism, she said, has endured. And in many ways, so has the sense of coming full circle. The place where she began her journalism career was also where she found herself bringing that chapter to a close.
Twenty years earlier, an initial phone interview with Jimmy Gathu, a familiar face from her youth, had brought her to Hot 96. Now, as she prepared to move on, Okwara returned to that memory as the starting point for a reflection on two decades in the profession.
“Now try to summarize twenty years in just a few minutes. So, bear with me,” she told her audience, inviting them to retrace the journey with her.
Jimmy Gathu: Where It All Began
Yvonne Okwara traces the beginning of her journalism career to Jimmy Gathu, whom she credits with giving her first steps in the profession.
Beyond introducing her to the craft, Gathu instilled in her lessons in curiosity, preparation and respect for the audience that would stay with her throughout her career.
Recalling those early days, she described how Gathu entrusted her with creating radio shows, selecting music and preparing the mixes weeks before she was allowed behind the microphone.
“He threw me in the deep end, allowed me to create my own radio shows, select the music, rip music from CDs and put the mix markers in myself, for weeks before I could even step up to the mic,” she recalled.
There was a lighter side to those lessons, too. Okwara remembered how Gathu once locked her out of the studio for arriving late, a memorable way of teaching her that respecting the audience begins with respecting their time.
For her, those early experiences planted the first seeds of a career built on curiosity and a sense of responsibility to the people on the other side of the microphone.
The Mentors Who Shaped Yvonne Okwara’s Craft and Leadership
Beyond Gathu’s early influence, Joe Ageyo played a significant role in shaping Okwara’s growth as a journalist.
Yvonne recalled how Joe’s mentorship sharpened her journalistic instincts and gave her the confidence to take risks.
“Then there is Joe Ageyo. The man who made me the journalist I am. Occasionally saving me from myself. Never use the ‘R’ word, he would say. He gave me the courage to do things that some people thought were too bold.”She recalled.
Others, including Sam Shollei, Munira Mohammad and Emmanuel Talam, influenced her understanding of leadership, each leaving a lesson that followed her into the newsroom.
Beyond journalism, other figures helped shape her approach to leadership. Former Standard Group chief executive Sam Shollei taught her the importance of listening to everyone in the room.
Together, these experiences reveal how Okwara’s career was shaped not by one defining influence, but by people who challenged her, trusted her and helped her grow.
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Eight and a Half Years at Citizen TV
Those early influences would be tested and refined during her eight-and-a-half years at Citizen TV. According to Yvonne, she found not only colleagues but a team she credited with helping make her career what it became.
Her tribute extended beyond reporters, editors and fellow anchors to the behind-the-scenes teams whose work keeps a newsroom moving.
For Okwara, the work of journalism was never the responsibility of one person alone; it depended on the many people working together to bring the news to audiences.
Among the defining experiences of her time at Citizen was The News Gang, a programme she described as a platform for nuanced and informed commentary on some of Kenya’s most consequential issues.
The News Gang: A Defining Chapter
Reflecting on The News Gang, Okwara recalled its beginnings, the ease with which its name was settled upon and the mutual respect that shaped its discussions.
Her recollections of her colleagues offered a glimpse into the relationships behind the programme.
Linus Kaikai was the steadfast ally with whom she had weathered some of the most difficult periods of her life and career.
Jamila Mohammed brought humanity to the group, while Joseph Bonyo provided a steady presence.
Sam Gituku, she said, represented a bright future for journalism, with his sharp insights and ability to make sense of complex numbers.
Together, they helped create an experience she regarded as one of the defining chapters of her career.
Beyond the Newsroom: Journalism and Its Responsibility
For Okwara, journalism has always carried a responsibility beyond reporting events. Her reflections return to the importance of asking difficult questions, demanding better and holding those in power accountable.
These convictions also inform her understanding of journalism’s place in the country’s democratic journey.
For her, the work is not simply about the stories told in the present, but also about the impact those stories may have on the society that follows.
‘I Am Not Done Building’
As Okwara looks ahead to what comes next, she makes it clear that leaving one chapter behind does not mean abandoning the principles that have guided her career.
She frames her departure not as an end to her ambitions, but as a continuation of the work she believes remains to be done.
“I am not done building. I am simply moving to build something else,” she said.
That next chapter takes her beyond the newsroom. Okwara has been appointed Head of Investments and Partnerships at UK-based Shuga Global.
Formerly known as the MTV Staying Alive Foundation, the organization uses storytelling, creative media and community engagement to promote young people’s health and well-being.
Announcing her appointment, Shuga Global highlighted her experience in corporate communications, fundraising and government relations.
In her new role, she is expected to build strategic partnerships, identify funding opportunities and mobilize resources to support the organization’s programmes and long-term sustainability.
Yet her reflections on the career she leaves behind are also concerned with the legacy of journalism itself.
“History will judge the impact of my work and what it may have done for the democratization of this great nation. But history also demands that we keep moving, and that is what I do here today,” she said.
For Okwara, the journey has come full circle. The work of building, however, continues.
