#MCM – Jeff Koinange

By Sheila Kimani (@sheilakimm)

Since his cabin crew days when passengers would applaud his baritone voice over the flight announcement speakers, Jeff Koinange had never quite considered a career in the media. 

He was among the Kenyans trained to work as flight attendants at the PanAm Airlines back in 1984, and it was after becoming a steward that his voice prompted a conversation in regards to joining the media. A media personality who was on-board prompted him to consider joining the media, because his voice had a flair to it.

Having pursued most of his college education abroad, Jeff won a scholarship to attend the New York University from which he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Broadcast Journalism.

With credentials that could earn him a job at a media house, Jeff got to work for ABC between 1991- 2001 and during this time he also got to work with NBC from 1994, and Reuters from 1995.

Jeff was appointed the Reuters West African Bureu Chief in 1998 and this led to his appointment to CNN as an African Correspondent.

Some of his astounding works which granted his works global recognition included: The Darfur Crisis, the Sierra Leone and Liberian Civil wars, Niger’s famine and many more.

Despite the scandals and controversies that seemed to shake his career, Jeff braved it all and kept his love for the media burning. It was then that he came to Kenya and championed “the Bench” series and “Jeff Koinange Live” on KTN television where he engages game changers in the industry.

His trademark phrase “Oh my!” and his expressions on the show often give a light touch to the “hard discussions” and overtime, he has amassed an ardent following making him one of the Top Kenyan live show hosts.

Most recently he released a book “Through my African eyes” in which he narrates his African adventure and explains why Africa is the next frontier.

Aside from media, Jeff is a proud family man with his wife Sheila Koinange with whom they have a young son Jamal Mbiyu Koinange.