Leaders of Industry: The Remarkable Career of RMS MD Wachira Waruru

Ask anybody in the streets today, which television station they believe is the best in Kenya, and Citizen TV will be the most likely answer.

However, about a decade ago, the most probable answer would have been somewhere between KTN and NTV.

Over the years, the Royal Media Services (RMS)-owned television channel has grown to be among the largest in East and Central Africa, thanks to the spectacular stewardship of RMS Group Managing Director Wachira Waruru.

He joined the media house in 2007, and has since worked to earn Citizen TV 'a seat at the table'.

Prior to joining RMS, he served at various capacities in different companies.

According to his LinkedIn page, Waruru, a Bachelor of Education graduate from the University of Nairobi served as the Group Editorial Director at Standard Media Group between April 1998 and August 2003.

He later proceeded to join the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) where he served as the Managing Director until July 2006.

For eight months between July 2006 and February 2007, Waruru was the Managing Director at Kenya Film Commission.

He would then proceed to join RMS where he has served to date.

However, apart from his job at the S.K Macharia owned media company, the RMS MD has served in other roles.

Between September 2007 and April 2010, he was the chairman at Media Council of Kenya (MCK). From May 2015 to April 2018, he served as a board member at the Kenya Cultural Centre.

Waruru also served as the chairperson of the Media Owners Association (MOA) between April 2018 and April 2018.

He has also been a member of the Covid-19 Emergency Response Fund from April 2020, to date.

Waruru's reign at Citizen TV has seen the channel grow into a real fan favorite, owing to the ranging variety in genre of shows aired, both local and international.

Over the years, Citizen TV has aired exceptional local shows that have attracted huge viewership and kept Kenyans itching for episode after episode.

The RMS MD is a household name in the media industry and has been praised by several people for his exceptional leadership.

In a past interview, media personality Felix Odiwuor alias Jalang'o stated that he owed his career to Waruru.

"We were not happy (to leave Papa Shirandula programme) but I told Otoyo that when the director said 'camera action' we would make them change their mind. I remember all the cameramen laughing as we talked. Papa is under the table, the director is under the table and everyone else is laughing crazily.

"Then we received the call from the one and only Wachira Waruru and he sat us down in his office. He told us that we were amazing people and we would not leave the program," Jalang'o said at the time.

Waruru is also an entrepreneur and is reported to own Chaka ranch, one of the most popular family and holiday getaways in the country.