Swaleh Mdoe, the Swahili News Anchor at Citizen TV, has been suspended from appearing on air, according to a reliable source within the Royal Media Services-owned media house.
The veteran news anchor was suspended after missing the 1:00 p.m. bulletin on Tuesday, January 23. Swaleh Mdoe hosts the Monday prime-time Swahili bulletin at 7:00 pm, as well as the 1:00 pm bulletins on Tuesday through Friday.
Mdoe had reportedly gone for a medical check-up on the day he missed the daytime news bulletin but failed to notify his supervisor. This led to the editorial director’s decision to suspend him indefinitely.
Upon returning to work the next day, Mdoe was summoned by his superiors, who informed him of the suspension and prohibited him from appearing on air.
This is not the first time Swaleh Mdoe who is known for his ‘Tafakari ya Babu’ series is facing issues at Royal Media.
In 2015, he, along with five other journalists, was suspended on suspicion of receiving payment from former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko to suppress a story. The suspension lasted 10 days, during which investigations into alleged high-level corruption took place, and the journalists were later reinstated.
In 2018, Mdoe sparked controversy by announcing that he was selling one of his kidneys. Despite initial skepticism, he clarified that he was facing financial challenges and had been advised by his doctor that he could function with just one kidney.
