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Journalist Rita Tinina found dead at home

Journalist Rita Tinina. (Photo: X)

By Lucy Mumbi | Sunday, March 17, 2024

Nation Media Group Editor-in-Chief Joe Ageyo confirmed Rita Tinina's death, saying her family had requested privacy.

Celebrated journalist Rita Tinina, of NTV at Nation Media Group (NMG), was found dead on Sunday at her apartment in Kileleshwa, Nairobi.

The cause of the 46-year-old's death was not immediately clear, but a police report said she suffered from epilepsy and had a severe five-day-old fever.

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Tinina's death was initially confirmed by NMG, which said her family had requested privacy.

Editor-in-Chief Joe Ageyo said she was expected in the office on Sunday but did not show up, sparking concerns.

"The information we have so far is that she was fine all of yesterday but, unfortunately, was found unresponsive this morning. The family has requested privacy at this difficult time. This is indeed a tragic development, and I request us to be calm as we await more information," Ageyo said.

Police report

The police report from the Kileleshwa Police Station said Tinina was found unconscious on the bed inside her bedroom.

Her colleague Robert Nagila called her sister Helen Silau Njaga to inform her of the discovery, police said.

“On arrival at the scene, the sister called in the assistance of emergency medical services, [and] paramedics confirmed that the body was lifeless," the report stated.

The media personality had been living with her eight-year-old daughter and a housekeeper.

The police said Tinina's sister gave them the health history of epilepsy and the fever.

They said that their assessment found no physical injuries on Tinina's body, which was taken to the Umash Funeral Home for an autopsy, amid investigations by officers at the Kilimani office of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

Accomplished journalist

Tinana had a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication/Media Studies from the University of Nairobi (UoN) and was considered one of the top and most sought-after women journalists in Kenya.

Her career started at NTV, where she honed her skills before moving to the Standard Media Group in December 2002. She served as a senior political affairs reporter at KTN and returned to NTV last October, taking up the role of output producer for broadcast platforms

Tinina is said to have received several offers to join local and international media houses due to her excellence.

She was reportedly offered a job in 2012, by an international media house seeking representation in the Eastern and Southern Africa region, but rejected it.