Poached K24 Journalists Fired!

Barely a month after being forced to take a pay cut, a section of renowned journalists poached by K24 from various media houses have been shown the door.

Jackal News reports that the newly appointed General Manager in charge of broadcasting at K24, Peter Opondo (formerly of Citizen TV) laid off at least 70 employees drawn from Milele FM, Kameme FM and K24.

Amongst those who’ve been shown the door includes former KTN’s Swahili anchor Ann Ngugi, Tichi Nyasani, Zawadi Mudibo (KTN), Yassin Juma (NTV), Rashid Ronald, Joyce Mkawasi (NTV), James Maganga, long serving Caleb Karuga, Chemtai Goin, Lucy Nyokabi amongst others.

Caleb Karuga who has been at the station for over six years took it all in stride politely announcing on twitter, “After 6 yrs at K24, on this day I go ‘off air.’ Thanks folks for your continued support.”

Until her dismissal, Nyasani ably managed the corporate communication department but that was cut short after the department was abolished all together.

The report adds that two of the sacked employees, Ann Ngugi and Chemtai Goin, were allegedly expectant and faults the management for unceremoniously kicking them out. However, sources intimate that the station could not sustain the employees’ wage bill hence the massive lay off.

This, by far is the largest number of employees to be fired at once from a single media house in our time.

Here’s the list of some of the journalists that K24 raided and made away from other stations in March and that of those that were unveiled at the revamped TV station.