BBC Fires Anne Ngugi

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has sacked veteran Swahili television (TV) anchor, Anne Ngugi, six years since she joined the media house.

According to an internal communication to staff seen by Viral Tea, Ngugi, who joined the British state broadcaster in May 2018, was relieved from her duties alongside another Kenyan journalist, Judith Wambare.

"Hello, all, Anne Ngugi and Judith Wambare have been terminated from BBC.

"An official communication will be shared later. If you have any queries or you want any clarification kindly do contact the HR," the memo read in part.

Photo of Anne Ngugi at her former workplace BBC studios. /ANNE NGUGI

It was however not immediately revealed the circumstances that led to the firing of the former K24 TV anchor. Wambare on her part joined the media house in 2016.

When she landed the role at BBC, she took to social media expressing excitement about her then role at BBC Swahili (Nairobi Bureau) as the host of the Dira Ya Dunia programme.

“Started New job at BBC Swahili” shared Anne Ngugi then.

Notably, the celebrated anchor revealed in past interviews the intrigues that surrounded her termination from Mediamax Limited, K24 TV's parent company in 2014 which preceded a downward spiral that later showed her who her real friends were.

“I was sacked by Mediamax when I was five months pregnant with twins. I never imagined losing a job like that. I always thought that I was in control, but it happened. I have moved on from that. It was a learning experience,” she said.

“I lost people I thought were my friends. I even called former colleagues to hook me up with jobs, but they ignored me," she divulged.

The sacking came seven months after being poached from KTN, where she reported and anchored in Kiswahili. Following the Mediamax exit, she ventured into doing freelance feature stories until her TV return aboard MBCI TV, a Christian TV station where she served before her BBC stint.

Other Changes At BBC

Meanwhile, BBC announced a series of recruitments in its Swahili Service division, filling vacant positions in both Nairobi and Dar Es Salaam Bureaus. Two new senior journalists joined BBC and will be based in its Nairobi bureau.

Robert Kiptoo has been promoted to Senior Broadcast Journalist (SBJ) in charge of the Dira ya Dunia radio programme, having been with the service for the last 14 years. 

Carolyne Robi has also been promoted to Senior Presenter – Radio after serving as a broadcast journalist for the last five years. 

"We have also recruited two Journalist positions in Nairobi. Phyllis Mwatee who worked as a freelance journalist with us between 2018 and 2022 has now returned on a permanent basis.

"Beldeen Waliaula has also joined the service, before her recruitment with BBC she was working with KTN as a news anchor and health reporter for the last four years. In Dar Es Salaam, Sammy Awami who worked with BBC as a bilingual reporter from 2015 to 2020 has returned as a Journalist," added the internal communication.