British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Senior lead presenter for focus on Africa Waihiga Mwaura has shared tips with netizens who aspire to be journalists.
In a video seen by The Kenya Times, Mwaura noted that it is important for a new journalist, to find a topic they love and are really good at.Â
“Aspiring journalist needs to identify a niche, something they are passionate about, and they can stand out for,” Mwaura said.Â
Waihiga emphasized that people usually appreciate journalists who are specialists because their coverage stands out.
He however, noted that sometimes, breaking new stories may make one cover something completely different from their specialty, taking them off their comfort for a long period.
As such, he urged journalists to be diverse and be able to handle both, adding that they should not be discouraged by people who doubt their abilities.
“When people tell you, you can’t do it, you probably can, use that negative criticism as the building blocks of your career and your ability to be able to achieve something great in life,” Mwaura added.
Waihiga Mwaura left Citizen TV on May 2, 2023, announcing his move to the British Broadcasting Corporation.
At the time of his exit, Waihiga was the Multimedia managing editor at the Royal Media-Owned station. He started out as a Sports reporter and anchor, before he transitions into regular news anchoring serving Citizen TV for 14-years.
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Waihiga CareerÂ
After finishing his IT degree, Waihiga did an internship at an NGO but realized it wasn’t his passion. He then worked at a bank as a teller but found it uninteresting.
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Meanwhile, he enjoyed being an emcee at church events. He notes in a past interview that his pastor believed his talent was in media, but he didn’t take it seriously at first.
At 25, he left his job at CFC Stanbic bank, a move that puzzled his parents. Luckily, he met a seasoned journalist named Ephy Hunja at church who mentored him on succeeding in the media industry.
In September 2009, he started working at RMS as sports anchor a stint he held for seven years before he was later on appointed as the Special projects’ editor.
Mwaura eventually transitioned to head the multimedia desk.
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In 2012, he won the CNN Multichoice Award for a story about the Maasai Cricket Warriors.
His journey in the media industry saw an upward trajectory as by January 2017, Mwaura become a news anchor at RMS. He transformed Citizen Extra from a short segment into a three-hour program covering local and global news.
Accolades
Throughout his career, Waihiga has received many prestigious awards, such as the BBC World News 2018 Komla Dumor Award and the 2015 Mo Amin Africa Award.
In 2016, he went to Brazil to cover the Rio Games. His report on the mistreatment of Kenyan athletes and misuse of public funds led to him being questioned by the DCI and later testifying before a sports ministry commission.
In 2019, the Kenya Christian Professionals Forum recognized his media contributions with the UBA Award.
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