Veteran radio journalist, presenter, and news anchor at Bahari FM, a Royal Media Services station, Gladys Kadzo Ziro has passed away.
Confirmation of Ziro’s death came from her family, who stated that the journalist passed after battling lupus on August 30.
Gladys Ziro, who originates from Kilifi, is remembered as one of the familiar voices in Coast broadcasting, particularly among listeners who followed Bahari FM’s programming in Swahili and local coastal languages.
Tributes from colleagues, former classmates, and members of the coastal community have emerged across social media as news of her passing spread.
A football commentator and fellow journalist, Stephen Mukangai, shared an emotional tribute to the veteran journalist, noting that the media fraternity has lost an icon.
“You have gone too soon, Gladys. But then again, what is life? Like a flower, beautiful and delicate. One moment you are here with us, and the next, you are gone. The media fraternity has lost an icon, a voice, and a beautiful soul. Your absence will leave a void that will be difficult to fill,” Stephen Mukangai noted.
Honorable George Kithi, a Coast-based public figure and Chairperson of the Sports, Arts and Social Development Fund (SASDF) Board. Kithi has also expressed his condolences to Ziro’s family, friends and loved ones, describing her as a cherished Giriama news anchor.
Others who mourned Ziro included her former classmate and neighbor Charo Shem, as well as Mike Mumba and Sam Amany, who shared personal tributes after the news of her death.
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Gladys Ziro Medical Condition
Ziro stepped away from her work at the Royal Media Services station to focus on her health and treatment two years before her demise in August.
Reports indicate that her condition worsened shortly before her death.
According to her family, Gladys experienced severe vomiting and weakness during this period due to the autoimmune disease she had been battling over the years.
Despite her prolonged battle with illness, Ziro will be remembered for her contribution to Coast Broadcasting.
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Gladys Kadzo Ziro’s Career at Bahari FM
Gladys Kadzo Ziro built her broadcasting career as a Mijikenda-language news anchor and radio presenter at Bahari FM.
She became one of the Coast region’s recognizable broadcasting voices, focusing on news bulletins and current-affairs updates for coastal audiences.
Gladys was also known for presenting in local languages, including Giriama and coastal Swahili, serving Mijikenda-speaking communities.
Through her work in the station’s newsroom and on-air programming, Ziro became a familiar voice for listeners along the Kenyan Coast.
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