‘IT WAS TOUGH’ JEFF KOINANGE ON GROWING UP WITHOUT A FATHER

Celebrated journalist Jeff Koinange has opened up about growing up without a father.

Speaking to Grace Msalame on her show Mali, the father of one said it was tough, “My dad died on March 7, 1966, I was two months old. He left my mum who was 28 years old with four children. My older sister was four and a half, my other sister was two and a half, my brother one and a half and me. I never knew him, this march we celebrated his anniversary and he would have been 100 years, when he died he was 43.”

Koinange further stated he had no father figure, “Mum was my father and mother and she did the job well, we could never thank her. We are talking about the 60s and she never remarried. She raised us and gave the best foundation, she took us to the best schools. 

Mum tried hard to be my mentor and guide. When I went out that’s when it hit me, I had no father figure. Something was missing but I had to keep on moving and find something that inspired me, like movie figures, politicians and people I grew up around and it took a while. I’m raising my son and I keep on saying, “wow I didn’t have this.” He is lucky to have both parents.”

Jeff also revealed when the time comes to retire he is ready move on, “I’m so grateful for the fact that I can get up every morning and go to work. As long as you have two legs, hands and a mind, get up and do something. There are some people who would love too but they can’t. I’m grateful there is work to be done. I’m going to have to give it back to somebody at some point. I have been doing it for 30 years, I can move on. When it is time to walk away I will happily walk away.”