Jeff Koinange Biography: Age, Education, Family, Career and Awards

Jeff Koinange is one of Kenya’s most respected and well-known television journalists. He is currently a news anchor at Citizen TV, where he hosts the popular political talk show JKLive. He is also a radio presenter on Hot 96 FM, where he hosts a morning show.

Over the years, Jeff Koinange has built a strong reputation in both local and international media, earning several prestigious awards for his work.

Jeff Koinange’s Age and Date of Birth

Jeff Koinange was born on January 7, 1966, making him 59 years old as of 2025.

Education Background

Jeff Koinange completed his secondary school education at St. Mary’s High School, where he finished his A-level studies in 1984.

He later moved to the United States for further studies. From 1987 to 1989, he attended Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn, New York, where he studied broadcast technology and management and graduated with honors.

Jeff later joined New York University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast Journalism between 1989 and 1991.

Jeff Koinange Family

Jeff Koinange is married to Shaila Koinange, and together they have a son named Jamal Mbiyu Koinange.

He has often spoken highly of his mother, crediting her for raising him and his siblings with discipline and strong values. Jeff Koinange is also related to Kenya’s former president Uhuru Kenyatta, as they are cousins.

Career in Journalism

Jeff Koinange is currently working at Citizen TV under Royal Media Services as a senior news anchor and the host of JKLive, a show known for hard-hitting interviews with top leaders, politicians, and public figures.

Before joining Citizen TV, he worked at KTN under the Standard Group and later at K24 TV, which is owned by Media Max Network.

Jeff gained international recognition during his early career while working as an Africa Correspondent for CNN, where he covered major events across the continent.

Apart from television, he continues to entertain and inform Kenyans every morning through his radio show on Hot 96 FM.

International Awards and Recognition

Jeff Koinange has received several awards for his outstanding journalism work both locally and internationally.

In 2005, he made history by becoming the first African journalist to win an Emmy Award after covering the severe famine in Niger.

In 2006, he received the George Foster Peabody Award for his reporting on the impact of Hurricane Katrina in the United States. The same year, he was also awarded the Vernon Jarrett Bronze Medal for his feature story on mass rapes in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In recognition of his contribution to journalism, Jeff Koinange was awarded the Moran of the Burning Spear (MBS) by former President Mwai Kibaki in 2008, one of Kenya’s highest civilian honours.

Click to Join Our WhatsApp Channel

Click to Join Our WhatsApp Channel.