Sam Gituku To Replace Francis Gachuri At Citizen TV's News Gang

Citizen TV journalist Sam Gituku will replace Francis Gachuri on the hugely-popular Thursday evening news show News Gang starting April 6, 2023.

A source at the Royal Media Services (RMS) confirmed to Viral Tea that the Day Break show host will replace Gachuri, who officially left the station on Thursday, March 2 to join the Ministry of Interior as Head of Communications.

Ahead of Gituku's unveiling, the station has been running a 20-second promo video throughout its commercial break sessions featuring the three remaining members; Yvonne Okwara, Linus Kaikai and Jamila Mohamed alongside a shadow caricature of an individual donning glasses, a black and white suit and a hat.

"The gang returns this Thursday, April the 6th 2023. Watch out, a new gangster is on the loose," the clip announced.

From Left: Former Citizen TV journalist Francis Gachuri, Jamila Mohamed, Linus Kaikai and Yvonne Okwara during a past News Gang show. /YOUTUBE.CITIZEN TV

"The gang returns at 9 PM on News Gang, only on Citizen TV!"

Gituku joined RMS in March 2014, as a radio reporter trainee before debuting on TV in November of the same year, rising through the ranks to become a senior journalist and anchor.

The master's degree holder in communication studies has been praised for his interviewing skills and expertise in current affairs and among the top politicians he has interviewed include President William Ruto and Azimio la Umoja leader, Raila Odinga, who contested the 2022 presidential elections.

News Gang was launched by Citizen TV in 2018 featuring Okwara, Mohamed and Kaikai, as well as Joe Ageyo who has since moved to the Nation Media Group (NMG), and Gachuri.

Announcing the show back then, the station stated that News Gang would "put all the stories into perspective with informed and balanced accounts." Each of the panel members has their own take on the hottest stories of the day and week with specialized titles carrying each member’s individualized final takes.

Linus operates under Kaikai's Kicker, while Yvonne and Jamila go with Yvonne's Take and Jamila's Memo respectively. It is anticipated that Gituku might take Gachuri's slot, though with a title yet to be disclosed.

Gachuri looked back at his 5,661 days at RMS where he not only enjoyed working with his colleagues but also experienced the life of a journalist spanning all four climatic seasons in one day; winter, summer, spring and autumn.

He celebrated his colleagues at the News Gang show as well as the viewers and listeners for supporting him while at the media house for tuning in and consuming the RMS content produced every minute across its platforms.

"Now, the transition is here. The music stops at Royal Media Services for me. Allow me to step out and take up another national challenge. In the words of William Bridges, “it is when we are in transition that we are most completely alive.”

"As fate would have it, I step out during the Lent season. The period of self-introspection. To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly as Henri Bergson aptly puts it. I won’t say goodbye, I prefer 'see you around'! Tuko hii town (We're in this town)," he concluded.