Former Citizen TV journalist Jacque Maribe during a past court session.
Jacque Maribe once soared to remarkable heights before a sudden twist of fate altered the course of her media career forever.
Maribe, 35, emerged as a prominent figure in the media industry, captivating audiences with her charisma and journalistic prowess.
Raised in the vibrant neighborhood of Buruburu, Nairobi, alongside her sister, Maribe's upbringing instilled in her a strong sense of determination and resilience.
Former TV journalist Jacque Maribe and Joseph Kuria Irungu alias Jowie at the Milimani Court in Nairobi on Monday, October 15, 2018. Inset: The late businesswoman Monica Kimani.
She pursued her education in Nairobi, where her exceptional academic performance earned her a coveted spot at State House Girls’ High School, laying the foundation for her future endeavors.
From her humble beginnings, Maribe's trajectory in the media industry was nothing short of meteoric.
With unwavering dedication and a natural talent for storytelling, she quickly ascended through the ranks, carving out a niche for herself in political journalism.
Her journey commenced at K24 TV in 2009, following her graduation from the University of Nairobi.
Subsequently, she honed her skills as a political affairs reporter at Kiss TV from 2011 to 2012 before transitioning to Citizen TV in 2012, where she truly made her mark.
At Citizen, Maribe's star continued to rise as she took on the role of anchor for Friday 9pm bulletin, alongside the now-renowned BBC journalist Waihiga Mwaura.
Journalist Jacque Maribe.
She also served as a senior political reporter, covering key political events and shaping public discourse on national affairs.
Her insightful analysis and engaging delivery endeared her to audiences across the country, solidifying her status as a respected media personality.
Despite her remarkable success, Maribe's journey was not without its challenges.
She made headlines for reasons far removed from her professional accomplishments, murder charges and in July 2019, Maribe resigned from Royal Media Services (RMS), marking the beginning of a new chapter in her life.
- One of the first journalists to interview then President Uhuru Kenyatta
Maribe successfully secured an interview with former President Uhuru Kenyatta following his election to his first term in 2013.
The exclusive interview happened in April 2014, just less than a year after the election of the then president.
The interview was done when Maribe was heavily pregnant with her son and was about to proceed on maternity leave.
The interview was special as it was the first TV interview Mr Kenyatta had given after taking office.
In an interview with True Love magazine, Maribe said her bosses felt she was not fit to interview with the president at the time and wanted someone else, presumably Hussein Mohammed, to do it, even though President Kenyatta had reportedly specifically asked Maribe to do it.
“When I went to tell my boss that I had been offered the first-ever interview by the president, it was hard. Like why, you? And I remember being told that someone else would conduct the interview,” she told True Love.
“I got angry, and I was like why, ‘is it because I’m a woman, or is it because I’m heavy and so you (the bosses) think I’m not up to the task? Why?’ It actually brought a bit of tension,” she continued.
The journalist said she then contacted the head of state and informed him that RMS had opted to send someone else instead of her to conduct the interview.
“If you are not going to do it, then, there will be no interview,” the President reportedly told Maribe on the phone.
“What that did for me was it helped me get the maiden interview. I was so heavy at that point, but I was glad that someone recognised strong, abled women in a world full of sharks,” she added.
Due to Kenyatta’s persistence, Maribe was allowed to conduct the interview, but she had to tag along her colleague Hussein Mohammed for a separate interview, which she was not happy with.
In the interview, President Kenyatta gave Maribe a tour of the State House, showing her places where the country's important decisions were made.
Maribe was part of a prestigious media team that utilised helicopters for travel during the Jubilee campaigns in 2017, when President Kenyatta sought re-election.
Unfortunately, this association also led to a tragic incident when the chopper they were supposed to use crashed in Lake Nakuru.
At the time, Maribe was a senior political reporter at Citizen TV.
In 2018, Maribe was among the recipients of the Head of States Commendation (HSC) civilian awards presented by President Kenyatta.
The TV girl has quite a good number of high-ranking politicians as close friends who might have influenced her interest in politics.
- Twist of fate
How her career came down in September 2018 when she was arrested, and accused of murder.
Maribe's journey took an unexpected and tumultuous turn, forever altering the trajectory of her career and life.
The shocking discovery of Kenyan business executive Monica Kimani's lifeless body in her (Monica’s) Nairobi apartment sent shockwaves throughout the nation, igniting a chain of events that would ultimately entangle Maribe in a web of controversy and legal turmoil.
She was arrested a few hours after the arrest of her former fiancé, Joseph Irungu, alias Jowie, over the killing of 28-year-old businesswoman.
Barely 30 years old at the time, Maribe was confronted with the grim reality of her newfound predicament.
Her world went darker further when, two days after the grim discovery, she found herself behind bars at Lang'ata Women's Prison. For 17 agonising days, she faced allegations that would forever alter her life. Maribe has been fighting charges of murder since 2018.
Through her social media, she said she cringed to see a career and brand she had taken years to build crumble in a matter of days.
Maribe also opened up on how her world stood still after being linked to the murder of Monica.
“Everything was going so well. My career path was good until one day something happened. Time stood still and it’s a horror movie," she said in the interview with True Love.
