Akisa Wandera Leaves KTN

FormerKTN NEWS presenter and anchor, Akisa Wandera.
Former KTN NEWS presenter and anchor, Akisa Wandera.
The Standard

KTN News has suffered a major blow following the resignation of one of its prime time anchors Akisa Wandera after a six-year stint.

Sources that spoke to Kenyans.co.ke intimated that Akisa will be joining the London-based British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).

Akisa joined The Standard Group in March, 2016 as a news reporter at a time when the Royal Media Serviced (RMS) raided the station for journalists. She was officially introduced to the audience by Ben Kitili, who was her co-host at the time.

KTN News anchor Akisa Wandera in studio
KTN News anchor Akisa Wandera in studio.
File

“Allow me to introduce to you the next big thing in the Kenyan media. The latest addition to KTN’s exceptional pool of talent. Akisa Wandera,”Kitili stated

Wandera climbed up the career ladder which saw her join the KTN News prime time news desk  in August 2018. She shared the update on her social media platform, attributing her success to the viewers.

“Tonight, I officially join the Prime Time desk. I'm yet to decide how I feel about it, but for now ..I feel thankful. Thank you for always being such a strong support system. See you at 9 o'clock,” she wrote.

Aside from reading news, the soft spoken journalist published several articles for the Standard cutting across human interest, politics and health. Among her most viral articles is 'The curse of leadership in the land of Mulembe'.

Before joining the Mombasa Road-based media house, Akisa had a brief stint at Ebru TV. Aside from presenting news, where she presented news and hosted the Tabletalk show.

Her career began at GBS TV, after completing her diploma at the South B domiciled Kenya Institute of Mass Communication (KIMC) where she majored in broadcast journalism.

In September 2020, Wandera graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Journalism from the United States International University (USIU-Africa). Notably, she emerged the top in her class and was awarded the Cum Laude distinction.

The news presenter will join ex KTN journalists Charles Gitonga, Ian Wafula, Bonny Tunya, and Zawadi Mudibo at the British-owned media franchise.

The exit of Akisa from KTN News comes weeks after Lindah Oguttu was reportedly pushed out by the management after she was appointed to the secretariat of the FKF caretaker committee.

KTN News has in the recent past been hit by talent hemorrhage. Ben Kitili, left KTN News in 2021 to take up Deputy Managing Editor's role at NTV.

The Aga Khan-owned media house along Nairobi's Kimathi Street also raided Moi-owned outlet, poaching Swahili anchors Lofty Matambo and Fridah Mwaka. KTN's investigative desk was also dented after Brian Obuya crossed over to NTV.

KTN News anchors Michael Gitonga and Akisa Wandera in studio.
Former KTN News anchor, Michael Gitonga and Akisa Wandera in studio.
File