Caren Kibbett: Story Of KBC Anchor Behind Sultry Photos Gone Viral

More and more female anchors are trying their hand in sports journalism, coming out to challenge an industry that has been for years dominated by men.

Some of the renowned names such as Carol Radull, Ida Waringa and Mukami Wambora among others have gone on to be household names in their own right and redefining the current men's notion that "a woman is considered attractive (wife material) if she knows a thing or two...or more about sport".

However, for Caren Kibbett’s case, it is entirely different. The Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) sports anchor is not just a sports fanatic but one with curves that turned her into a person of great interest in just one night.

Caren Kibbett presenting a previous news bulletin in a photo that went viral across the country on July 18, 2022. /CAREN KIBBETT.INSTAGRAM

A photo in July of the anchor, nicknamed Marakwet Express was uploaded on Instagram and captured her taking viewers through the four presidential candidates at the time; William Ruto (now president-elect), Raila Odinga, George Wajackoyah and David Mwaure while she was promoting the schedule of the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, USA, which was broadcasted by the state-owned media house.

What caused it to go viral was her outfit at the time, a hugging, dark turquoise-blue dress that accentuated her God-given curves in a way that Kenyan men find it hard to delete from their minds. By the time of publication, it clocked over 48,000 likes and 512 comments.

This is one of the many instances she unapologetically parades her figure gracefully on screen, accompanying it with exquisite attires to match her eloquence.

Speaking to Viral Tea, the bubbly sports journalist explained that she studied at Peace Junior School, a private and multi-cultural day and boarding school based in Nairobi that offers quality pre and primary school education based on Christian principles. 

She then went to Singore Girls High School in Keiyo North Constituency, Elegeyo-Marakwet County before proceeding to the University of Nairobi (UoN) where she attained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast Production.

Kibbett was previously at K24 TV up until June 2020 when she was among hundreds of journalists who were laid off by Mediamax Networks, which owns the station, in a controversial move that swept clean its entire newsroom.

In June 2021, she made a comeback to TV screens after unveiling her own show dubbed #InsideSports that aired via her YouTube Channel. In August of that year, KBC poached her following a massive rebranding in July 2021 in a bid to get back to its glory days.

Kibbett is now a Sports News Anchor on the country's first Television channel, presenting the latest in the world of sports every Monday to Friday at 9 pm.

"I’M BACK!!!!!!! MY NEW HOME ???? @kbc_television ♥️ See you tonight for the latest in the World Of Sports... ♥️♥️♥️ #MarakwetExpress #SportsMyWorld," she captioned in an Instagram post at the time.

At KBC, she works alongside Ahmed Juma Bhalo, Nancy Onyancha and Shiksha Arora, who worked with her at K24. They were among the crop of anchors also affected by the mass layoffs at Mediamax in 2020.

With regards to the viral photo, Kibbett explained that it was one out of a few posts that strengthened her Instagram page with over 59,000 followers.

“At least my page tries, I have a post that hit 55k, another 40k, 20k and several 10ks,” she said to Viral Tea, adding that anyone with similar numbers can turn their social media pages into a business platform.

From her photos, many men would question whether she has a man in her life, but her relationship status is one that is kept under wraps. However, she once hinted in her Instastories that she was single, adding that many men assume that she is either spoken for, thus they fear shooting their shot at her.

She did so by posting a screenshot of some of the DMs that she had been getting presumably from some of the men, openly showcasing their assumptions while urging them to approach the girls they like as such assumptions contribute to more women being single.

Kibbett is a staunch Manchester United fan. She was shortlisted as a candidate for the Zikomo Africa Awards 2022, an annual International Award ceremony held in Lusaka Zambia that acknowledges and celebrates individuals and organisations who are contributing positively and doing well in various industries, including art and entrepreneurship.

She was eligible for nominations under two categories – Best TV Personality of the Year and Best Journalist of the Year.

She boasts a colourful career that includes interviews with sports personalities such as United States sprinter Justin Gatlin, South African footballer Siphiwe Tshabalala and Kenyan javelin star Julius Yego.

Caren Kibbett poses for a photo at KBC studios before a news bulletin. /CAREN KIBBETT.INSTAGRAM