Yvonne Okwara Exits Citizen TV After Eight Years

Veteran Kenyan journalist Yvonne Okwara-Matole has announced her departure from Citizen TV, bringing to an end an eight-year stint at the Royal Media Services-owned broadcaster.

She announced her exit on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, marking a major development in Kenya’s television journalism industry, where she has established herself as a prominent news anchor, current affairs presenter and business journalist.

“To our viewers, you have watched my career blossom from infancy to this point twenty years later. Thank you for your support. To Linus Kaikai, thank you. Thank you for the support and for allowing me to participate in journalism,” she said.

She joined Citizen TV in May 2018 after leaving KTN News, returning to Royal Media Services, where she had previously worked in radio. During her tenure, she anchored prime-time bulletins and covered major political, economic and national developments.

Okwara became a familiar face to viewers through programmes including News Gang and The Explainer, which examined current affairs and sought to provide deeper context to major news events.

In May 2023, Citizen TV introduced The Explainer as a standalone Tuesday prime-time programme following the departure of Waihiga Mwaura, who left the station to join the BBC.

The programme positioned Okwara at the centre of the broadcaster’s current affairs coverage, focusing on the implications of major developments for the public.

At the time, Royal Media Services Group Editorial Director Linus Kaikai described her as an accountability-driven journalist with a strong record in public-interest reporting.

Beyond her on-screen responsibilities, Okwara took on additional duties in December 2021 when she became Citizen TV’s Business Editor, overseeing the station’s business desk while continuing to anchor news bulletins.

Her reporting and commentary have covered governance, public finance, business and national politics, establishing her presence in Kenya’s broadcast media landscape.

Career span

Okwara’s departure from Citizen TV comes after a career spanning several major media organisations, including Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC), Nation Media Group, NTV and KTN News.

She began her broadcasting career at a young age, including presenting a children’s programme at KBC, before gaining experience in radio production, content development and television journalism.

She joined KTN News in November 2012, where she spent more than five years working as a news anchor and taking on senior editorial responsibilities before moving to Citizen TV.

Her career has also extended beyond daily broadcasting into leadership and professional development initiatives.

Next chapter

Okwara’s exit marks the end of her tenure at one of Kenya’s leading television stations, where she has spent eight years presenting news and analysing major national issues.

However, details of her next professional move, including whether she intends to join another media organisation or pursue opportunities outside mainstream broadcasting, were not provided in the report announcing her departure.