Veteran Kenyan journalist Muliro Telewa has died at the age of 68 while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Nakuru, according to his family.
Family members said Telewa had been living with kidney failure for some time, but the condition had remained manageable.
His sister told the media that he developed a severe cough on Sunday evening and was rushed to hospital, where he passed away on Monday morning.
Telewa was among the journalists who covered Kenya’s pro-democracy struggle during the Second Liberation era and the historic Saba Saba movement, often working under difficult and dangerous conditions, including police brutality faced by members of the press.
He later built a distinguished career with the BBC, working alongside some of Kenya’s most respected journalists before retiring.
Following his retirement, he settled in Nakuru and ventured into private business.
His death comes a day before the country marks another anniversary of the historic Saba Saba protests, a movement whose events he extensively covered during his journalism career.
Muliro Telewa’s Career
Muliro Telewa hailed from Western Kenya and was raised by parents who both worked as prison officers.
He built a journalism career spanning several decades and worked for some of the most influential media organisations in Kenya and internationally.
Telewa began his professional journalism journey at the government-owned Kenya News Agency (KNA), where he gained experience in news gathering, reporting and public affairs coverage.
He later joined Nation Media Group, one of East Africa’s largest media houses.
During this period, he covered major national events and sharpened his reputation as a field reporter.
He was among journalists who reported on Kenya’s turbulent political period in the 1990s, including the pro-democracy movement and related unrest.
Telewa subsequently moved to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), where he spent the majority of his career.
A BBC Swahili profile indicated that he worked with the broadcaster for about 25 years.
At the BBC, he became one of the veteran voices of BBC Swahili and worked alongside some of Kenya’s most respected journalists.
He was known for his commitment to factual and accurate journalism, values he publicly said were central to the BBC’s work.
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