The populous Citizen Television with an acceptable dosage of local content and global news.is lately in the limelight for among other reasons well paid journalists. Fanatics are particularly curious about the success story of the business mogul who owns Citizen TV Kenya.
The RMS-owned free-to-air TV channel is going global with vibrant newscasters and wildfire show hosts. On top of that are favourite screen programmes among them documentaries and telenovela series. Let us focus on the one man who initiated the big dream.
RMS Boss: Who Owns Citizen TV Kenya?
Who is the founder of Citizen TV Kenya? Samuel Kamau Macharia popularly called SK Macharia is the founding owner and chairman of the Royal Media Services-owned Citizen Television.
Opened in the 1990s, the Swahili and English broadcast network is now the largest newsroom in East Africa.
SK Macharia profile summary
Born on October 4, 1943, SK Macharia’s age is 81 years as of 2023. He originates in Mount Kenya, within Ndakaini, Muranga County.
Being squatters in Nakuru, his parents worked as casual labourers in British plantation farms. Unfortunately, his mother died when Macharia was only 5 years old.
As a result, the family comprising 3 sisters relocated to Tanzania hoping his father would secure a more decent job with better pay.
All along, Macharia worked as a cattle herder alongside young Maasai boys.
On attaining his P3 Certificate in 1961, Macharia proceeded to work as a teacher at Gituru Primary School.
Travelling to the USA
Chosen as a beneficiary of the Kennedy Airlifts which supported Kenyan students to study in Canada and USA, Macharia embraced the chance with great dedication.
He still recalls the ordeal of travelling to the USA.
“I went to the US by bus. It took me nine months, with KSh 1,200 and I left my father and three sisters without a piece of land in the village.”
Citizen TV owner SK Macharia.
While in the US, Macharia enrolled at Seattle Technical College. He later joined Seattle Pacific University for Political Science studies and then University of Washington for a degree in Accounting.
On top of that, he completed a Masters’ Degree in Accounting and Finance before returning to Kenya in 1968 to work in the government of President Jomo Kenyatta.
He would resign from public service in 1979 to establish the Madhupaper Company, to this day renowned for Rosy tissue paper. By 1985, the firm had hired 300 employees.
Then came a tragic downfall for which Macharia blamed the government of Moi.
When was Citizen TV started?
SK Macharia launched Citizen TV in 1990 when the Kenya Broadcasting Cooperation was a monopoly news outlet.
Macharia and his beautiful wife Purity Gathoni have since grown the media house to include 2 televisions and 14 radio stations – the couple is blessed with 4 sons and 2 daughters.
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