Friends, family, media fraternity eulogise ‘kind, inspirational’ Catherine Kasavuli

“Kind”, “generous”, “happy”, “inspirational”; these are some of the words repeated on the podium at the Friends Church, Ngong Road, in Nairobi on Thursday during the memorial service of pioneer newscaster Catherine Kasavuli.

Kasavuli died on December 29, 2022, after a brave battle with cervical cancer. She was 60.

Hundreds of people including her family, friends and colleagues in the media industry who convened to pay tribute to the late journalist remembered her as a kind woman and consummate professional who was willing to help whenever called upon in the line of her profession and around her social circles.

Among them was her son Martin Kasavuli, who celebrated his mother for radiating positivity to those around her.

“Even when we didn’t have much, even when she struggled to educate me, we always had laughter,” said Mr Kasavuli, adding that he learned humility from his mother.

“She was always humble, there wasn’t an air about her and that is one of the things she instilled in me,” he said.

At the same time, he challenged men to take up an active role in the well-being of the women in their lives, saying, “If you are a son, please start understanding what the signs are and how often regular checks are important, as well as treatment.”

“If there is a legacy I would like mum to leave, other than her profession, is to get men to take an active role in women as far as cancer is concerned,” he added.

NARC Kenya party leader Martha Karua celebrated the late veteran newscaster as a generous and kind person who was willing to help.

Karua recounted meeting Kasavuli along the corridors of work as a magistrate, saying she “was always available to help whenever anyone needed her and although she might be gone, her spirit lives forever.”

“Catherine always had a smile, an amiable lady a person who loved people and loved life. A person who performed her duties with excellence, always ready to help,” the NARC leader said.

Narrating her visits to Kenyatta National Hospital where the late Kasavuli was admitted for months while undergoing treatment, Karua said the journalist was “still wearing her infectious smile.”

“Despite the pain she was in, in hospital, she was always ready with a hug when we went to hospital,” she said.

Various names in the journalism profession hailed Kasavuli’s legacy in the broadcasting industry.

Royal Media Services Director of Strategy and Innovation, Linus Kaikai, celebrated an “eloquent and always-smart” Kasavuli for paving the way for professionals in the Kenyan media industry.

“Catherine lies here proud of the industry she inspired. We are learning of the big role she played in the Petri dish of Kenya’s independent television journalism. Catherine had the voice, the face and the soul for television, she lived it,” said Kaikai.

While noting that the journalist was always well-dressed well and expected the same of everyone else in the profession, Kaikai shared a fashion lesson he learned from Kasavuli with the mourners.

“It is Catherine who told me that you cannot wear a checked jacket on top of a checked shirt. With apologies from my tailor Gohil, I have never repeated that again,” he said.

On his part, radio and television personality Jimmy Gathu said he will remember the newscaster for encouraging media professionals to be different and unique.

“Thank you for teaching me the importance of harnessing and honing your talent because that is what will make you stand apart in a crowd,” said Gathu.

Youth Affairs, Sports and the Arts Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba on his part termed Catherine an inspiration to many people across the country.

Among the lessons he said Kenyans can emulate from her is “When you are leaving the door, do not bang the door too hard because you might just walk back through the same door.”

He was referring to Kasavuli’s 2020 return to the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC), where she began her career in 1980.

Kasavuli began her career as a radio continuity announcer in 1980 at KBC, then called Voice of Kenya, before transitioning to television.

During her illustrious career which boomed between the 1990s and 2015, Kasavuli graced Kenyan TV screens as an anchor in most of Kenya's leading television stations including Citizen TV, State broadcaster KBC and KTN.

Since her return to KBC in 2020, she was hosting the Legend Edition.