As I prepare to launch my first book, I’d like to take you through the winding, often unpredictable journey that led me to become a writer. Nearly two decades ago, fresh from Maseno University with a degree in Communication and Media Technology, I landed my first writing gig at The Standard newspaper in Kenya.
Like many new graduates, I felt a mix of excitement and uncertainty. The world seemed full of possibility, yet I couldn’t shake the question: “What’s next?” That restlessness led me to seize every opportunity I could, including a chance conversation with a longtime friend that would open the door to a career in journalism and, eventually, the world of authorship.
One evening, as the village crickets sang their usual chorus, I sat with Evans Ondeng’, a childhood friend and primary school teacher. We reminisced about our past, kicking footballs made of polythene, studying under lanterns, and sharing dreams of life beyond the dusty village paths. Evans, who had become a private tutor for Kisumu’s middle-class families, mentioned he knew Douglas Okwatch, then a senior editor at The Standard.
With my encouragement, Evans brought up my name during a tutoring session. Douglas, grateful for Evans’ help in improving his son’s grades, agreed to meet me. It was a pivotal moment.
As the sun melted into the glassy waters of Lake Victoria, Evans took me to Douglas’ home. There were no formalities. Douglas listened, picked up his phone, made a few calls, and said, “Get ready to report to work on Monday.” That’s how my journey in journalism began.
The newsroom was electric, with editors shouting into phones, journalists chasing quotes, and keyboards clacking. I was the new guy, with not enough skills, just a tag that I was “brought in”. The prime assignments went to the veterans. I quickly realized I had to create my own space. I pivoted to feature writing, carving out my own lane.
Then came a turning point: the introduction of devolved governance. I was reassigned to a county as a correspondent, with fewer resources and almost no mentorship. Suddenly, I was pitching stories and hoping they got published. I didn’t know the unwritten rules, such as how stories needed editor approval in advance, or they’d end up as fillers or be discarded entirely.
With no bylines, there was no pay. Payment depended on story length, maybe Ksh 100 per centimeter. And without consistent publishing, I couldn’t earn my way to credibility or elite assignments.
After a year of struggling, I quit. But I wasn’t broken. I went door to door, job to job, facing rejection but refusing to give up. My dream of becoming a great writer lived on.
Today, that spark has grown into something bigger. And as I prepare to launch my first book, I look back with gratitude, not just for the milestones, but for every rough start, every closed door, every silent newsroom that forced me to find my voice. This book is more than pages and print. It is a symbol of persistence, purpose, and the power of storytelling that began with a whisper in a Kisumu living room and found its echo across borders.
Breaking through
I turned to online platforms like Freelancer, Upwork, and Fiverr, freelancing for clients around the world, and refining my skills in the quiet of the night.
Fast forward to 2012. That flicker turned into a flame when my longtime classmate, Kenneth Odiwuor, recommended me to be a stringer for The New Humanitarian, then under the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. I joined a team of brilliant minds: Obi Anyadike (now Head of Africa Partnerships at the same company), Anthony Morland (now a freelance editor in Ireland), Kenneth Odiwuor (now a communication professional at the UN Migration Agency), Keishamaza Rukikaire (now Head of News and Media at UNEP), Anne Weru (now Head of Public Information at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Abuja), and many others.
In 2015, I landed a weeklong writing scholarship from the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) to cover a major conference in Addis Ababa. It was my first foreign trip in my career, a milestone that filled me with excitement and a sense of purpose. At the conference, I had the privilege of meeting dignitaries such as Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, the President of the African Development Bank Group, among many others.
One story became my breakthrough, Kenyan businesses close in fear of electoral violence. That piece caught the attention of Thomson Reuters. Duncan Miriri, a senior reporter there, reached out. Before long, I was on the phone with James Macharia, the Bureau Chief for East Africa at the time, who is now the Reuters Operations Editor and General Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa.
Although we never met in person, I was given my first opportunity through an interview where I was tasked with writing about the security situation ahead of the 2013 general elections. The interview went well, and my first article for Reuters, Intimidation, machetes point to Kenya election violence: groups, was published. Soon after, I signed a contract and started working the very next day.
At Reuters, I had the privilege of working alongside giants like Edmund Blair (now Reuters Middle East and North Africa Editor), Drazen Jorgic (now Reuters Senior Correspondent for Mexico and Central America), Richard Lough (now Reuters Bureau Chief for France and Benelux), and Joseph Akwiri. My byline finally had wings.
That exposure opened the door to an investigation with The Sunday Times UK, where I worked with Flora Bagenal and Jerome Starkey. Together, we investigated the business dealings of a royal family in the Western world, whose name I prefer not to mention.
From byline to brand
Six years later, I returned to The Standard, no longer the greenhorn I once was, but a polished writer ready to reclaim my space. I focused on business, human-interest, and health journalism, crafting stories that continue to shape policies to this day. For two years, I had the privilege of working alongside an incredible team, including Kwamboka Oyaro, Frank Otieno, Evelyne Kwamboka, Kevine Omollo, and John Oywa.
That path eventually drew me into public relations, first in the NGO world and later in government. There, I discovered a new passion for brand storytelling, catering to both mainstream and digital audiences. In the NGO space, I worked alongside remarkable authors like Prof. Joachim Osur, now Vice Chancellor at Amref International University, and Dona Anyona, among others. Their work and our interactions inspired me further on my writing journey.
The book dream
The idea of a book simmered for years. In 2023, a publisher contacted me via LinkedIn. I dismissed it at first. But the voices urging me grew louder. My colleague, Dr. Kenneth Riany, occasionally told me, “Your blog posts are rich in content. Why don’t you turn them into a book?” My LinkedIn followers began asking for e-books.
If that was not enough, after reading one of my posts, my colleague Dr. Jebichi Maswan texted, “You are such a great writer. Why don’t you consider publishing a book? I will be your first buyer.”
When I visited my colleague Dr. Salim Omambia at his workstation earlier this year, he looked me in the eye and said, “With your juicy writing style, I want to see you take it to the next level by publishing a book. You’ll never go wrong with authoring.”
And so, I did.
I embarked on a journey that would place me among those who have dared to put their thoughts between covers. Each evening after work, I sat at a restaurant along Airport Road, pouring out 2,000 words. On field trips, I wrote deep into the night, pushing myself to 3,000 words at a go.
Slowly, chapters formed, pages piled up, and my manuscript began to take shape. I read widely, eager to deepen my understanding of the subject and enrich my work.
When the draft was completed four months later, I sought feedback from Dr. Susan Kimotho, a counseling psychologist, who became my first reviewer and graciously wrote the foreword. The manuscript is now undergoing final review by Khushboo Goel, a friend in India; Judith Akoth, a long-time friend; Francesca Bordas, a LinkedIn supporter from the U.S.; and Dvorah Meijer, an Israeli mentor.
Today, that dream, from dusty newsrooms to international bylines to telling brand stories, will soon find its place on bookshelves.
A dream that refused to die.
Join the journey
I remain deeply grateful to everyone who played a role in shaping my writing path. Your support and belief continue to inspire every word I write.
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