Kellen Beatrice Kanze Dena Mararo, popularly known as Kanze Dena, is a media personality who built a journalism career before transitioning into government communication as State House Spokesperson under former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Born in 1980, Kanze comes from the Duruma community of the Mijikenda in Kwale County. She was raised by her mother following her parents’ separation and spent her childhood in different parts of the country, including Kwale, Nairobi and Embu.
Education
Kanze Dena’s educational journey took her through:
- Kianjokoma Primary School (now St. Matthews Mixed Boarding Primary School) in Embu.
- Kieni Girls High School, where she completed her secondary education in 1997.
- Foundation College of Professional Studies, where she studied Journalism and Mass Communication after unsuccessfully applying to join the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC).
Career in Journalism
Kanze’s media career began at the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC), where she worked as an intern and Swahili newsreader on radio. Her talent and distinctive voice earned her a permanent role at KBC Television, where she served as a news anchor for about six years.
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Kanze later joined Citizen TV, becoming one of the country’s most recognizable Swahili broadcasters, partnering with fellow journalist Lulu Hassan on the popular Nipashe Wikendi bulletin.
During her time at Royal Media Services, Kanze Dena built a reputation for professionalism, eloquence, and audience engagement.
Move to State House
In June 2018, Kanze Dena resigned from Citizen TV after President Uhuru Kenyatta appointed her Deputy State House Spokesperson and Deputy Head of the Presidential Strategic Communications Unit (PSCU).
Her responsibilities included overseeing digital communication, research, media relations, branding and strategic messaging from the President’s office.
Just weeks later, she was elevated to the position of State House Spokesperson and Head of PSCU, succeeding Manoah Esipisu, who had been appointed Kenya’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
In her new role, Kanze became the principal public communicator for the Presidency, regularly briefing the media and articulating government policy and priorities.
She remained a key figure in government communication throughout Uhuru Kenyatta’s second term and later served as Director of Communication in the Office of the Fourth President, supporting the former Head of State after the end of his presidency in 2022.
In July 2022, former President Uhuru Kenyatta recognized Kanze’s service and contribution to government communication by awarding her a national honour.
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Kanze Dena Family Life
In March 2019, Kanze Dena married Nick Mararo in a private ceremony held at Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia County.
The event was attended by family members and a few close friends, including longtime colleague Lulu Hassan.
Kanze is a mother and has openly shared some of the personal challenges she has faced, including the loss of her first child and later the death of her mother.
She has often described those experiences as pivotal moments that shaped her strength and outlook on life.
“Sadly mum passed away on August 8, 2007. It was a big blow! I wish she was alive to see me read news on TV today… “They are memories that I can’t erase, but nowadays I don’t cry more of loss but more of just remembering the beautiful moments I had with those people, and wishing they were here to share what I have right now, especially my mum who really wanted me to do this job. I’m doing it so well that I wish she was here to just see it,”Kanze Dena said once in an interview.
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