Jeff Koinange facts for kids

Jeff Mwaura Koinange MBS (born on January 7, 1966) is a famous Kenyan journalist. He is well-known for hosting Jeff Koinange Live, a popular talk show on Citizen TV. He started this show in February 2017.

Before his TV show, Jeff also hosted a breakfast radio show on HOT 96. He worked with Nick Odhiambo on this English-language station. Jeff was also a judge on East Africa's Got Talent, which first aired in August 2019. He judged alongside Gaetano Kagwa, Makeda Mahadeo, and Vanessa Mdee.

Jeff Koinange worked as the Africa correspondent for CNN and CNN International from 2001 to 2007. Later, he became a chief reporter at the TV station K24 until December 2012. He also worked as a chief anchor for Arise Television Ltd in Johannesburg.

Jeff's Early Life and Career

Jeff Koinange was born in Kenya. He is one of the grandsons of Koinange Wa Mbiyu, a respected elder. He started his career at KTN, which was Kenya's first independent TV channel.

Between 1987 and 1989, Jeff studied at Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn, New York. He earned an associate degree there. He then went on to get a Bachelor of Arts degree in broadcast journalism from New York University.

Before joining CNN, Jeff worked for Reuters Television from 1995 to 2001. He covered news across Africa and was their chief producer from 1999 to 2001. He also worked as a producer at NBC News in 1994. Earlier, he worked for ABC News from 1991 to 1992.

His Time at CNN

Jeff Koinange covered many important stories for CNN in Africa. He reported on the crisis in Darfur and the civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone. He also covered the severe famine in Niger. For his work on the famine in Niger, he won an Emmy award, which is a big achievement in television.

In 2007, there was a disagreement with the government of Nigeria about one of his reports. Jeff had reported on a group called MEND. The Nigerian government said the report was "staged," but CNN denied this.

Jeff also reported on news outside of Africa. He covered the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in the US. He also reported extensively on the Iraq War. On May 29, 2007, CNN announced that Jeff Koinange was no longer working for the network.

After CNN: New Opportunities

Seven months after leaving CNN, Jeff Koinange joined a new Kenyan TV station called K24. This station started in Nairobi in December 2007. He hosted a show called Capital Talk Show there.

Today, he hosts 'Jeff Koinange Live' on Citizen TV Kenya. This talk show is part of Royal Media Services. He is also a main news anchor for the same station.

His Book: Through My African Eyes

In 2014, Jeff Koinange published his autobiography titled Through My African Eyes. The book was published by Footprints Press Kenya. In this book, Jeff shares stories about his school days. He also describes his journey to become one of Africa’s most recognized journalists. Even though he is a public figure, he has kept much of his personal life private. His book gives readers a look into his life.

Giving Back to the Community

Jeff Koinange is known for helping his community in various ways. In 2017, he started a project to build and fill a library in the Kibera slums. This library allows students from the area to easily access reading materials.

He has also given important speeches. For example, in 2016, he spoke at the Journalism In Africa forum. This event was organized by a community group called Fatuma’s Voice.

Jeff's Love for Music

Jeff Koinange is a big fan of country music. In September 2019, he appeared with Kenyan singer Sir Elvis at the Country Roads event. This event took place at Thika Greens Golf Resort. Jeff had also performed with Sir Elvis at other events before this.