Former Citizen TV journalist, Joshua Makori Ongechi, who was sacked in 2021, has embarked on various business ventures to earn a living.
According to reports, his termination from the media house was a result of allegations of extortion from individuals.
The reporter was accused of preparing a video purportedly produced by Citizen TV, which he allegedly used to solicit money from West Pokot Governor John Lonyangapuo.
In addition, he was accused of visiting a school in pursuit of a story of students being fed expired food and soliciting money from the management of the institution.
The company stated that the reporter had violated the Employment Act, and therefore, terminated his services.
Despite the setback, Ongechi did not let the situation get the best of him. He pursued a number of ventures to earn a living.
One of his notable ventures was the founding of Azimiokuu Brand Africa Limited, a media and PR company with a special interest in Communications, documentary production, and advertising.
Ongechi produced at least two videos advertising Quiz pops and Exams App, which are revision smart applications for primary school pupils.
He also led a team to successfully organize a gala event at Kenyatta University, which brought on board over 500 students.
“In October, I was one of the moderators of the East Africa Accountants Breakfast Seminar which was held at Villa Rosa Kempinski. The theme of the conference was: The Future Of Accounting And Finance Profession And Other Evolving Disruptors.” He said.
Apart from operating his media company, Ongechi also ventured into the fruit and agricultural produce business, which he pursued on the side while still an employee of RMS.
He sold fruits and other agricultural produce such as tomatoes, avocados, and bananas on his off days and hours. He would order them from Kisii and sell them in Nairobi.
Ongechi in a past Interview revealed that he wakes up at 3:30 am in the morning to receive the goods and, with the help of his assistants, distributes the fruits by 6:00 am.
This venture may seem small, but it raked in a good amount of money and allowed him flexible hours to perform other duties.
Ongechi advises other journalists to always consider having a side hustle, drawing inspiration from his situation.
However, he notes that being out of the media threatens his passion for informing the public and his love for education matters. For this reason, he does not rule out a comeback to the media should an opportunity present itself.
In addition to his other ventures, Ongechi was contracted by the Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE) as a media consultant for six months from June to December 2021. KISE is a government institution in charge of special needs education.
He revolutionized and organized media coverage on key areas of interest, especially in informing Kenyans on the mandate of the institute.
“I revolutionised and organised media coverage on key areas of interest, especially in informing Kenyans on the mandate of the institute. Being an electioneering period, I succeeded in organising a crucial engagement between the country’s electoral body (IEBC) and the Kenya Institute of Special Education(KISE),” he wrote on his LinkedIn profile.
