Celebrated veteran journalist and television prime time news anchor Catherine Kasavuli has died aged 60.
Kasavuli succumbed to cervical cancer complications last night at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) ward where she has been admitted since November this year.
At the time of her death, Kasavuli was working with the national broadcaster, Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC).
Kasavuli’s family members have been the key pillar during her ailment.
Among the senior personalities who visited her at her hospital bed before her last moments include Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha, her Sports and Youth counterparts Ababu Namwamba and members of the Fourth Estate among others.
Until her demise, Kasavuli was full of high spirits exuding confidence to pull through the second phase of her treatment.
During her admission, Kasavuli coined six-points advisory of life from her sick bed:
- 1. Your family is all you got at the end of the day, make peace with them, and try to be in good books with them. Even if you feel otherwise.
- Always depend on your Higher Power, pray for as much as you can, at least while you have the strength.
- If you have at least 2 friends or colleagues you can always count on, appreciate them. They’re very rare.
- Don’t lose hope, keep on believing, and hope courageously.
- Love your body, treasure it.
- Finally always do good, it will always come back to you, eventually. Thank you, good people,”.
In November, colleagues and friends in the media industry mobilised people to donate blood for urgent transfusion after she was admitted at Kenyatta National Hospital late October, battling cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer affects the neck of the womb and it is the growth of abnormal cells in the lining of the cervix. Worldwide, this disease ranks as the fourth most frequently diagnosed cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer death in women and yet is a preventable disease.
Following the news of her death, colleagues in media sent condolence messages and praised her as a veteran journalist who has left a gaping hole in the industry.
Kasavuli, in her personal capacity, has in the past helped many people seeking medical treatment. She would use her social media platforms to mobilise Kenyans to raise funds for patients who are seeking urgent treatment. The most recent case was of a baby who was born with a congenital abnormality.
Since the 1980s, Kasavuli, often known as the TV queen, has played a significant role in Kenyan media.
Before retiring in 2015, she was one of the first anchors to host a live television program for a privately held TV station in the 1990s.
Kasavuli returned to KBC in 2020, where she now hosts the Legend Edition show every weekend.