6 Times Jeff Koinange Messed Up on Live TV

Blessed with a unique voice and an outstanding way of keeping the audience locked to his show, Jeff Koinange is truly a household name in Kenya. However, he also has his faults like every one of us. Here are the six times the award-winning journalist has messed up on live TV.

The day he hosted a drunk Tony Gachoka



While at KTN, on Wednesday, May 18, 2015, Jeff Koinange hosted Raila Odinga's ally Tony Gachoka. Gachoka, a businessman and political analyst at the time, was alleged to have attended the show under the influence of alcohol

During the show, Gachoka sparked drama after he stood up and walked out of the live interview only to return a few minutes later. He even went on to ask the award-winning journalist if he appeared drunk.

Gachoka was banned from attending successive JKL shows after uttering defamatory statements against senior government officials.

"Gachoka produced a lot of shockers of his own and we at KTN feel we had to take a stand because of his mannerism and behaviour and what he was saying. Going forward from now on Tony Gachoka will no longer be a guest on this show," Koinange announced. 

Gachoka currently hosts Pointblank at KTN News

The time he defied a court order

Just after the dramatic interview with Tony Gachoka, Koinange landed in trouble over discussing Billionaire Jimi Wanigi's private property, despite a court order gagging them.

Wanjigi sued Koinange and Gachoka for allegedly linking his firm, Kwacha Group of Companies, to the Anglo-Leasing scandal that saw taxpayers lose more than Ksh50 billion in irregular security-related contracts awarded by the government.

The two were arrested and charged with contempt of court and paid Ksh2 million fine each as they were staring at a jail term.

Times his interviews with COTU boss, Francis Atwoli went wrong

Koinange was blasted after he hosted Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary-General Francis Atwoli on JKL on September 14, 2016, on KTN. 

His question to Atwoli on whether the country was ready for a Muslim president unsettled the Muslim community. The question was in relation to Mombasa Governor, Hassan Joho’s, announcement that he would be contesting for presidency in 2022.

The Muslims interpreted the question as light Islamophobia twisted to sound like a harmless question.

He would later host Atwoli again on August 15, 2018, at Citizen TV on his new show JKLive in an interview that backfired on him. 

In a letter to Royal Media House's Editorial Director, the Media Council of Kenya gave a notice of complaint for unethical behaviour and its dissatisfaction concerning Koinange's questions to Atwoli. Koinange had prived into Atwoli's private life.

When activist Boniface Mwangi walked out of Koinange's interview

Reports have it that the celebrated journalist tricked Boniface Mwangi into having an interview with Gatundu South Member of Parliament, Moses Kuria, against Mwangi's wish on November 2, 2016, on KTN.

Mwangi and Kuria were not seeing eye to eye as the activist referred to the legislator as a propagandist. The interview started with Jeff Koinange and Mwangi in conversation, only for Kuria to walk in unannounced. 

Mwangi stood up and left as Jeff Koinange urged him to stay. 

When he hosted embattled lawyer Miguna Miguna and Nairobi Woman Rep Esther Passaris.

This interview cost Jeff Koinange his job at KTN. He also had to switch channels to Citizen TV.

Koinange was accused of failing to control Miguna Miguna who verbally attacked Passaris, demeaning her on live TV. 

The Media Council of Kenya warned Koinange and KTN, that the show had violated Clause 9 on obscenity, tone and taste of the code of conduct for the practice of journalists.

The Sonko incident

Citizen TV's Jeff Koinange, on Wednesday night, June 5, 2019, was forced to cut his interview with Nairobi Governor, Mike Sonko, just a few minutes after it started. 

Sonko had attacked Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris after the two had a public spat. Sonko made damning allegations against Passaris, who could not respond on the show since she had travelled to Canada.

He alleged that Passaris was corrupt and that she had at one time tried to woo him into a private hotel. 

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