English and literature professor Austin Bukenya on Saturday, January 7, penned intrinsic career details of Kenya's legendary Journalist Catherine Kasavuli.
Professor Bukenya revealed that not many supporters and fans were familiar with Kasavuli's private life. Bukenya, also one of the renowned tennis ball coaches in Kenya, detailed how Kasavuli's interests in the game stalled gracefully.
"I was not a close friend of Catherine Kasavuli, but I admired and respected her unreservedly like millions of her fans," the tennis veteran stated on Saturday, January 7.
"One conversation I remember once having with her, at the Kenya National Theatre, the favourite retreat of VoK (KBC), UoN and us theatre people alike," Bukenya added that Kasavuli always wished to learn how to play the sport, professionally.
Bukenya met Kasavuli at a theatre while he was in a tracksuit ahead of a routine coaching exercise. Kasavuli then inquired why the professor was in gaming attire when he should have been in a relatively less athletic dress code.
"I told her I was heading to coach my tennis students after the theatre rehearsal. She said she would love to learn how to play, and wondered if I could coach her.
"I asked her to find the time to come to the courts," Professor Bunyeka narrated in an article published on Nation Africa.
Bukenya penned that Kasavuli never succeeded in becoming a professional tennis player, but the experience gave him an insight into the qualities of the celebrated journalist.
"The first is a personality trait the French describe beautifully as “sympathique”.
"This describes a person who can make you feel that she is genuinely interested in you and wants to communicate with you. Catherine Kasavuli was “sympathique” par excellence," Pro Bukenya explained.
He further highlighted another quality that helped Kasavuli to succeed in life, and that is the fact that she had a childlike eagerness to learn.
"I felt no coyness or flippancy in her voice when she said she wanted to learn how to play tennis," Bukenya noted.
He added, "Coupled with her patent humility, this curiosity and eagerness to learn benefited her as she learnt, mostly on the job."
The veteran TV news anchor Catherine Kasavuli died on Thursday, December 29, after a protracted battle with cancer.
The Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) Managing Director Samuel Maina confirmed that Kasavuli passed away while receiving treatment at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).
More than a month before her death, Kasavuli appealed for blood donation. In response, the Kenyan media fraternity came together to galvanise support for her, leading to a successful exercise.
“TV legend, Catherine Kasavuli is hospitalised at the KNH Private Wing, and urgently needs blood. Please avail yourself & donate,” stated Shiksha Arora.
Kasavuli joined the Kenya Broadcasting Co-oporation (KBC) in 2021. She previously served at KTN and Citizen TV.