Citizen TV reporter Stephen Letoo is one of the most celebrated journalists in Kenya in the realm of political, governance, and current affairs news reporting
The self-proclaimed Men’s Conference chairman, made headlines over the weekend after tying the knot with his longtime partner, Irene Renoi, in a beautiful wedding at Ole Ntimama Stadium in Narok County.
The public wedding was attended by over 10,000 people among them politicians and journalists including Kisii Governor Simba Arati, Citizen TV journalists Linus Kaikai, Swaleh Mdoe Ben Kirui, Jacque Maribe, and Chemutai Goin.
While the journalist is known for his prowess in reporting on political matters, not many know of his tough beginnings as he struggled to build a name in the media industry.
In a past interview with Cynthia Mwangi on the Behind the Mic show, Letoo narrated his tough beginnings, having been brought up in a humble background where resources were limited.
He recalled going to school barefoot and in a torn uniform, unaware that someday he would be on national TV.
Born to a chief in Kilgoris, Transmara, Letoo attended Kabianga High School in Kericho and later joined the University of Nairobi to pursue journalism.
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He explained that his passion for journalism was inspired by the power of TV and its characters.
“Being a son of a chief came with the privilege of owning a television set, and thus, people used to flock to our house to watch the news. I thus developed an interest and wondered how somebody who appeared on television like this attracted so much attention in the village,’’ he recalled.
The journalist who is now living his dream recalled how he moved to Nairobi to pursue his dream with nothing but high hopes of succeeding academically in the university.
At the time, he lived in Kawangware slums where life was unbearable for him due to lack of source of income.
“Life was really hard with no source of income and parent reliant. I was broke all the time. I lived in Kawangware and I remember buying rotten tomatoes for 50 cents and I would eat that with ugali and call it a day. I was in campus for four years, that’s how bad the situation was for me then,” he said.
Fortunately, after completing his studies, he landed an internship at Citizen TV, where he worked for a few months before being poached by Kiss FM, owned by Radio Africa Group, for his expertise.
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Three years later, his current employer Citizen TV poached him back.
“I started my internship at Citizen TV in 2012, I did so well I was poached by another media house before I finished my internship, I went to Radio Africa and came back in 2016,” he said.
Among the biggest stories he covered include the Miguna Miguna airport drama and NASA coalition protests when opposition leader Raila Odinga returned from a trip to Germany in 2017.
Letoo, however, revealed that covering the NASA coalition protests was one of the scariest encounters in his career.
“Raila and his supporters wanted to go all the way from the airport to Uhuru Park; there was serious engagement with police and the supporters, and bullets flew dangerously and aimlessly.
One of the supporters was shot in the leg. Someone placed the injured man on our car’s windscreen, there was blood everywhere and we were live from inside the car,” he said.
His proud moments in the media industry include him traveling far and wide to countries such as Switzerland and Israel and establishing contacts.
“I have toured the world, met beautiful and incredible people, I have had humbling experienced and during the recently concluded 2022 presidential campaign, I was at the forefront reporting the events as it happened, which was super exciting,” he said.