State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed took to social media on Wednesday, October 28, to celebrate veteran journalist Yvonne Okwara following her departure from Citizen TV.
He praised her contribution to journalism as she begins a new chapter after 20 years in the industry.
What did Hussein Mohamed say about Yvonne Okwara?
“You were brilliant @YvonneOkwara, and truly one of a kind in the media industry. I have no doubt you’ll make your mark wherever you go next. Congratulations and onwards! Mbele… pamoja,” Mohamed wrote on X, quoting Okwara’s own farewell post in which she simply said:
“Thank you, God! Thank you, Kenya!”
Okwara officially signed off from Citizen TV on Tuesday night during a final edition of her prime-time programme, The Explainer, bringing down the curtain on eight and a half years at Royal Media Services.
The broadcast also marked the end of a 20-year career in mainstream journalism — a run that saw her anchor flagship shows including News Gang and Business Now, becoming one of Kenya’s most recognisable television faces in the process.
Her farewell was anything but quiet. Colleagues gathered around her after the broadcast to cut a cake, and Okwara used her final minutes on air to speak directly to her audience.
“I am not done building. I’m simply moving to build something else,” she told viewers, hinting firmly at what comes next.
She also left Kenyans with a characteristically direct parting message, one that echoed her reputation for holding powerful figures to account:
“Keep asking the right questions. Keep demanding better. Keep holding power to account.”
Did Yvonne Okwara land a new job?
Okwara is transitioning from television into corporate leadership, having been appointed Head of Investments and Partnerships at Shuga Global, an international non-profit organisation headquartered in London. The organisation works across Africa using mass media, digital storytelling and television dramas to tackle youth health and social challenges, including HIV prevention and reproductive health awareness.
The move represents a significant pivot for one of Kenya’s most prominent broadcast journalists, trading the studio for the boardroom while remaining tied to media’s power to drive social change.
