“I’m working on it.” NTV news anchor Olive Burrows explains why she can’t speak Kamba despite growing up in Kenya

Olive Burrows Kalekye. That’s her real name and who in the world would have guessed she’s Kamba.

The NTV news anchor recently opened up about her Kamba background in a sit down with Nation and gave an explanation on why she can’t speak her language despite growing up in Kenya.

“I have always wanted to (to speak Kamba). I think that is one of my biggest mistakes. I have a four-year-old nephew who speaks Kamba so fluently. The other day he was asking me questions about body parts by pointing at them, the way kindergarten teachers do,”  said Olive Burrows.

Kamba Culture

She added that her mum never spoke Kamba and therefore nothing in her surrounding promoted her Kamba culture but she’s working on learning the language.

“My mum never spoke to me in Kamba and then our teachers would encourage us to speak English and Kiswahili. I grew up in Nairobi West and attended Malezi Primary School in Lang’ata, then Kenya High School. I never met any of my grandparents and my mother was a single parent but now I’m working on it.” she said. 

 

Donald Kipkorir: Do Kenyan TV Stations demand bleaching before you start working

Flamboyant lawyer Donald Kipkorir on a few weeks ago came out to slam NTV’s Olive Burrows claiming that the new news anchor has also bleached after joining TV.

Taking to Twitter, Kipkorir shared a tweet saying that Kenyan TV might be forcing anchors to turn their skin since almost everyone of them has bleached.

“Burrows Kalekye Olive then at Capital FM & Now at Nation TV… Do Kenyan TV Stations demand skin colouration as part of the requirement for employment? Why do we sacrifice Black Beauty at the Vanity Altar Of White Skin? Have a Blessed Sunday.” He tweeted.

Lighting

Former KTN news anchor Beatrice Marshall has shot down his argument and defended Burrows insisting that she has not bleached. Taking to Twitter, the news anchor gave example of people such as Lillian Muli, Yvonne Okwara and Anne Kiguta saying that they haven’t bleached.

“#Kenyan TV also has @AnneKiguta @lillian_muli @YvonneOkwara and many others with beautiful dark skin. And they are amazing at what they do. And TV lights make one’s skin look a shade lighter.” Read Beatrice’s tweet.

Her example, however, might not be correct. All the ladies she has mentioned have been accused of bleaching before. A photo that was trending recently even show that they might have all bleached.