Citizen TV's Ayub Abdikadir On How Ruto's CS Supported Him Through University

Citizen TV's Ayub Abdikadir is arguably one of the most popular new-generation anchors in Kenya right now, but little is known of the role that one of President William Ruto's Cabinet Secretaries (CS) played in supporting him through his university education.

Speaking in an interview with Cynthia Mwangi on the Behind The Mic show on Thursday, February 9, Ayub recalled his time at Mount Kenya University (MKU) where he had gone to pursue his postgraduate studies and had sponsored himself throughout the course of his university education.

Because of the drive to keep himself in school and to avoid depending on someone to cater for his school fees, he started his side hustle which helped him generate enough income to get him through a semester at university to avoid delays which would have a negative effect on his educational progress.

"I did my journalism and mass communication at postgraduate studies at Mount Kenya University and the good thing about it was I was self-sponsored. From the onset, I knew that the goal was set, but in between was of course the financial element of how you have to support your education course. I had a side hustle, may I say, that ensured for the semester period which is made up of three months is well catered for.

A building at Mount Kenya University. /FILE

"This is in the sense that I had made sure that in the event that it might seem difficult...there are people who I looked up to and who are of help to me, and I did so because I knew what I wanted, therefore I never wanted to lay on dependency on someone paying my school fees because the desire was so big and intrinsic to the extent that I never wanted that delay to have an effect on my education progress in university," he disclosed.

Nonetheless, he did praise some personalities who had a big impact on his life, but arguably the biggest in his view was a current CS, whom he opted not to name, who ensured that he kept going with his education until the end and who celebrates him every time he presents the news bulletin on Citizen TV.

"Many people were of help but I like pointing out one person who is now our Cabinet Secretary (CS), I wouldn't want to name him, who has been of help...who had made phone calls to ensure that I remained in class, who had supported me and who today when he watches our news, he is proud that one of his products is on Kenya's number one station. This has been a moment where when we at times meet up despite his busy schedule which is tight...that we all laugh and say that we have accomplished a mission," he went on.

Other challenges Ayub disclosed dealt with the learning materials, which he and his fellow coursemates raised with MKU's management. This led to the setting up of a studio and despite it not being up to the standards of a professional media house, helped many journalism students embark on academic projects and duties as it provides a means to propel them into the media space.

He further called for universities offering journalism courses to adopt practicable methods through state-of-the-art equipment as journalism is more of a practice than paperwork.

On his career, Ayub revealed that a period of 72 hours provided for his biggest gamechanger so far: between the Nairobi Gubernatorial Debate which he co-hosted on July 11, 2022, and a roundtable interview with the then Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairperson Wafula Chebukati. 

Despite the Nairobi gubernatorial debate, which he moderated, not attracting attention, it was his interview with Chebukati that changed the course of his career completely, with less than a month to go to the August 9 general elections.

Alongside other journalists, the little-known K24 TV anchor pinned down the former IEBC chair as well as CEO Hussein Marjan, tasking them to explain the vetting and awarding of a mega tender to a Dutch firm, Smartmatic elections company, which was responsible for the management of the elections, exposing how the Dutch company had failed to properly manage previous polls in Uganda, the Phillippines and the US.

Afterwards, Kenyans were raving with several reactions, likening him to the once popular moderator, the current State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed, a person he revealed he looks up to. Even though he received multiple calls from Kenyans congratulating him for airing out the issues surrounding the IEBC during the elections, it was the call from the Royal Media Services (RMS) that changed his life forever.

Ayub explained that within one minute after the call, he submitted his CV, with the reporting date set for August 1, days before the start of the elections. He was then compelled to take up the offer at RMS upon consultations.

"It was the following day that I received the call that entirely changed my now coming to Royal Media Services and it was some sixteen days to the end of the month for me to come on board. I must admit that it was unexpected but I had always prayed for it.

“I have to attribute it to God and the phone call that I received in July. I submitted the CV in under one minute. I prayed that the election in 2022 would open new frontiers because new challenges are what everyone seeks, an environment where he finds himself in the place where he can expand his horizon and scope of thinking and undertaking of duties," he added.

Ayub joined Citizen TV around the same time as Serfine Achieng who was poached from KBC... and also moderated the gubernatorial debate alongside him. During the elections, he was deployed for various assignments within and outside the newsroom as the station flexed its might in terms of election coverage.

He currently hosts Citizen TV's breakfast show titled Day Break and became a senior reporter featured in various prime-time news bulletins.

Ayub was on December 28, 2022 featured by Viral Tea in its listicle titled 10 Kenyan Journalists To Watch in 2023.

Ayub Abdikadir with Serfine Achieng Ouma at Citizen TV studios. /YOUTUBE.CITIZEN TV