Rita Tinina Found Dead Months After Rejoining NTV

Renowned journalist Rita Tinina who rejoined Nation Media Group's (NMG) NTV in October 2023 having left Standard Group Limited, is dead.

According to sources privy to the matter who spoke to Viral Tea on Sunday, March 17, Tinina's body was found in her house in Kileleshwa, Nairobi.

She was reportedly meant to be on duty at NTV where she worked as an Output Producer, Broadcast Platforms at NMG but failed to report, a matter that prompted one of her neighbours who happens to be her colleague to go to her place to check on her. Tinina was home alone at the time.

The cause of death was yet to be known by the time of publishing this article. Her family was present as police arrived to pick up the body to the mortuary pending autopsy. 

Photo of the late NTV journalist, Rita Tinina. /FACEBOOK

Her family, while speaking on the unfortunate demise, requested for privacy during this difficult period.

Tinina's death has since sent shockwaves throughout the Kenyan media industry with many of her current and former colleagues sending their messages of condolence.

"I am who I am because I stood on her shoulders while at NTV. Go well my darling. Rita Tinina, the hand that held mine and never let go. I am broken," former KTN News anchor Lindah Oguttu stated.

It is worth noting that Viral Tea had exclusively broken the news that Tinina rejoined NTV after she worked as one of the senior reporters at KTN.

She worked at the Nation Media Group (NMG) before joining KTN News in 2012 where she worked as a senior reporter before returning to NTV in October 2023.

According to her LinkedIn profile, Tinina joined Standard Group in December 2002.

She held a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication/Media Studies from the University of Nairobi (UoN).

She was termed one of the best reporters according to many viewers of the station and was one of the most sought-after talents having been reportedly offered several proposals to join top Kenyan media houses.

It was at NTV that her groomed talent turned her into among the top 10 best news anchor women in the country.

So unshaken was her loyalty that in 2012, she was reportedly offered a job by an international media house to represent the East and Southern Africa region which she rejected, leaving that media house to scout for another talent.

Tinina was a mother of one at the time of her unfortunate demise.