Betty Kyallo Recalls Wearing Oversized Clothes at KTN, Surviving on Ksh 5K Pay

Former KTN news anchor Betty Kyallo posing for a photo on May 9, 2023.
Former KTN News anchor Betty Kyallo posing for a photo on May 9, 2023.
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Betty Kyallo

Former KTN News anchor Betty Kyallo on Friday, June 2, explained why she wore oversized clothes while anchoring news at the station.

Appearing on the Wicked Edition hosted by Dr King'ori, the journalist revealed that she was made to wear oversized clothes to make her appear older than her age at the time.

Kyallo noted that she began anchoring news at the age of 22 years, an age considered a young age in the media industry at the time.

She also noted that she had to wear shirts and dresses with a higher neckline to hide a scar she sustained in a past incident.

Ex-KTN journalist Betty Kyallo at The Summer House Restaurant
Ex-KTN journalist Betty Kyallo at The Summer House Restaurant
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Betty Kyallo

"I started reading the news at the age of 22. Honestly, who will take you seriously when you are anchoring the news for people who are older such as professors?

"For that reason, I had to wear big blouses. The main reason was to make me appear older and also hide a scar I had near my neck,"  she stated.

When she joined the industry, Kyallo further revealed that her monthly salary was Ksh5,000 monthly in her role as an intern.

"My salary as an intern at KTN was Ksh5,000. Not that I am dissing the pay but what will the money do? So you still have to go back to your parents and ask for money for the fare and others," the journalist recalled.

Further, the media personality expressed gratitude for the trajectory her career took noting that she found success at an early age.

Despite her sterling rise across a number of stations including K24, she also acknowledged that fame came with a number of challenges which took her some time to adjust.

"Being a news anchor back then was a really big deal. I still think that was the reason why my mother used to give me her car to meet the expectations people had.

"The pressure was mostly there when I was starting out but over time I got used to it," she stated.

Standard Group headquarters along Mombasa Road, Nairobi
Standard Group headquarters along Mombasa Road, Nairobi
Simon Kiragu
Kenyans.co.ke