Larry Madowo, a Kenyan journalist currently working as an International Correspondent for Cable News Network (CNN), is among the top journalists in the country, known for his insightful reporting.
Larry joined CNN in May 2021 as their Nairobi-based correspondent before being promoted to the network’s International correspondent two months later.
His rise to the international role is a testament to sheer determination and hope, given the life challenges he underwent growing up.
Born on July 14, 1987, in Barding village in Siaya County, Larry grew up with his only sister Liz Madowo following the death of their parents.
His father died in 1994 when he was 7 years old while his mother, Treazer Anyango Madowo, a primary school teacher and a divisional Knut official, passed away in 2001.
The media personality attended Madowo Usingo and Karapul primary schools where he sat for his KCPE examination.
He later enrolled at Saint Gabriel’s Seminary in Kisumu where he undertook his O-Level education.
While his dream was to become a Catholic Priest, Larry changed his mind after high school and instead enrolled for a Communications degree at Daystar University (Athi River Campus) in 2006.
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However, due to financial struggles, he dropped out of school barely two years later and started freelance writing and supermarket promotions to make a living.
“My first job straight out of high school was selling tea and mandazi at Gikomba. I was there for almost a year,” he revealed in a past interview.
He eventually returned to college and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication degree from Daystar University in June 2014.
He also holds a Master’s in Business and Economics Journalism from Columbia University in New York.
Media career
Larry’s first attempt in the media industry was not fruitful, after failing his first interview at Y-FM the now Hot96.
He landed his first job at a Naivasha-based vernacular radio station, Bahasha FM, reading news in English. His stay was, however, short-lived, as he was laid off amidst the 2007/2008 post-election violence because the station was not making money.
Later on, he joined Kenya Television Network (KTN) as a trainee reporter, climbing the ranks to a news anchor. Larry anchored Kenya’s first daytime business program ‘KTN Financial Markets Live’ as well as ‘KTN Business Today’.
He is credited for leading the formation of the KTN Kenya Facebook and X pages before any other media house in the country had a social media presence.
He left KTN after a 3-year stint to join NTV, and later the South African-based CNBC Africa. His stay at CNBC Africa only lasted a few months and in December 2012, he went back to NTV as the technology editor and news anchor.
He finally quit NTV in 2018 to join the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) as their Business Editor in Africa, leading a team of business journalists in Nairobi, London, Lagos, Dakar, and Johannesburg.
He climbed the ranks to become a news anchor in October 2020 when he anchored his first-ever BBC World news bulletin. He left the station in 2021 to join CNN, where he serves till to date.
Throughout his career, Larry has won multiple awards, including the 2020 Most Influential Africans Award by the New African Magazine.
He was also named among 115 Young Global Leaders by the World Economic Forum in 2020 and was listed among the 100 Most Influential Young Africans by Africa Youth Awards in 2019.
