Veteran news anchor Yvonne Okwara has left Citizen TV, ending an eight-and-a-half-year stint at Royal Media Services (RMS) and a broadcast career of nearly 20 years.

Okwara announced her exit on Tuesday, October 27, during the final segment of The Explainer, the Tuesday 9pm bulletin she anchored.

"When I walked through these doors, I was young, fresh from university. I still feel the same way," she told viewers. "So, I am not done building. I'm simply moving to build something else."

She urged her audience to "keep asking the right questions, keep demanding better, keep holding power to account."

A career across Kenya's top newsrooms

Okwara joined Citizen TV in May 2018 from KTN News. Before that, she worked at the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC), Nation Media Group and QFM.

At Citizen she anchored prime-time bulletins, hosted current affairs shows and covered major political and economic stories. She became known for tough, well-prepared political interviews, sitting down with President William Ruto, Cabinet Secretaries and global figures including UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

She was also a regular on News Gang, the Thursday night political analysis show, alongside RMS editorial director Linus Kaikai.

Tributes pour in

Tributes followed her announcement. Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna called her "one of the best to ever do it," and said she gave him his first television appearance more than 13 years ago.

What next?

On air, Okwara did not name her next role. Kenyans.co.ke reported that she is joining Shuga Global, an international non-profit that uses storytelling, mass media and community outreach to support young people, as Head of Investments and Partnerships. Okwara has not publicly confirmed the move herself.

Photos: Nairobi Leo; Kenyans.co.ke. Thumbnail design: HAMASTA MEDIA.