Mashirima Kapombe is a Kenyan Swahili news anchor who reads the 7 PM news bulletin at Citizen TV. She is an award winning journalist with fluency in both English and Swahili and has over 8 years experience.
Her belief is that everyone has a story, you just need to be patient and listen to what makes it different and outstanding. The awards and success she has achieved at a young age encourages other young people to work hard because success is always within our grasp.
She is trained in conflict sensitive journalism and is passionate about gender and children affairs. The news anchor also drives online conversations on women reproductive health and how to improve it.
Here is her story as told by WoK.
Age
Mashorima Kapombe was born on the 1st of May 1989 in Voi town, Taita Taveta county.
The award winning news presenter went to Consolata Primary School, Nyeri county. She then proceeded to Gatimu Ngandu and successfully completed and passed her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) and joined Daystar University, Athi River campus in 2008. She graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications.
Family
Not much is known about her family but her dad is a dentist in Nyeri county but hails from Giriama, Kilifi county. Her mum is a Taita from Voi. She moved with her dad to Nyeri after he changed jobs.
Career
The Royal Media services employee started her journalism career at Daystar University. While at Daystar, she worked for the campus radio, Shine FM, as a station manager, news and program presenter. She presented in both Swahili and English.
For her internship, she joined KBC from May 2011 to June 20011.
Nation Media Group employed her in 2011 on a six months contract at QFM. Towards the end of the year, they made her news anchor and reporter for NTV.
On 4th February 2013, KTN hired her. Here, she got a chance to do long-form features and live her dream of presenting news in Swahili.
In 2018, she was among the many news anchors Citizen TV poached from other media houses. She hosts Citizen TV’s 7PM news bulletin ‘Nipashe Wikendi’ every Friday.
It includes a Swahili clinic dubbed ‘Longalonga.’ She hosts Longalonga alongside veterans Munene Nyaga and Nuhu Bakari in a fun-filled format that includes voices from different counties.
Mashirima Kapombe can also be caught every Wednesday on Sema na Citizen for news updates and a discussion on matters health. She also co-hosted Monday Report Townhall session alongside Trevor Ombija and Waihiga Mwaura.
Awards
2013 – Young journalist of the year AJEA awards
2014 – Gender reporter of the year AJEA awards
2014 – Children and youth affairs reporter if the year AJEA awards.
2021-she won the 2021 African Journalists Gender Equality Awards for her Halfway Haven story.
Baby
The citizen TV Swahili news anchor is a proud mother of one boy. She tweeted a sweet mother’s day message to all mother’s this year:
“ Happy Mother’s Day! Motherhood is not just about bringing forth a child, it is also in how you nurture another’s. Women supporting each other through this noble task. My mothers, my sisters, my grandmothers, my friends and everyone else who has played this role, Salute!”
