Janet Mbugua
{{Short description|Kenyan news anchor (born 1984)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Janet Mbugua
| image =
| alt =
| caption = Mbugua in 2020
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|1|11}}
| birth_place = Mombasa, Kenya
| death_date =
| death_place =
| other_names =
| alma_mater = United States International University
| occupation = {{Flatlist|
- Media personality
- philanthropist
- actress
}}
| years_active = 2004–2017
| known_for =
| notable_works =
| spouse = Edward Ndichu
| children = 2
| website = {{URL|http://officialjanetmbugua.com}}
}}
{{Wikiquote}}
Janet Mbugua (born 11 January 1984) is a Kenyan media personality, anchor, and actress. As a news anchor, she is known to have served in KTN in her earlier year of her career. She worked for Citizen TV{{Cite web|title=Janet Mbugua: Quitting my plum TV job was the best decision of my life|url=https://nairobinews.nation.co.ke/chillax/janet-mbugua-quitting-my-plum-tv-job-was-the-best-decision-of-my-life|access-date=2020-09-22|website=Nairobi News|date=18 June 2020 |language=en-US}} for several years, before announcing her retirement from the media industry. She was a leading anchor at Citizen prime time news, alongside Hussein Mohammed. She takes a new role at Kenya Red Cross Humanitarian Society. Janet is interested in film and arts. As an actress she played the lead in the television series Rush.{{cite web|url=http://hashtagsquare.co.ke/janet-mbugua/|title=Janet Mbugua|accessdate=9 February 2016|website=Hashtag Square|archive-date=16 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160216030358/http://hashtagsquare.co.ke/janet-mbugua/|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web |last=Muchene |first=Shirley Genga And Esther |title=Kenya's rich showbiz ladies |url=https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/entertainment/features/article/2000112082/kenyas-rich-showbiz-ladies |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=Standard Entertainment |language=en}}
Early life and education
Janet was born on January 11, 1984, and raised in Mombasa, Kenya. She has a twin brother Timothy Mbugua.{{cite web|url=http://www.okoanews.com/photos-introducing-janet-mbuguas-twin-brother/|title=Introducing Janet Mbugua's Twin Brother|accessdate=9 February 2016|website=Okoa News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150728063427/http://www.okoanews.com/photos-introducing-janet-mbuguas-twin-brother/|archive-date=28 July 2015|url-status=dead}}
Janet went to Brookhouse High School and thereafter joined the United States International University (USIU).{{Cite web |last=whownskenya |date=2021-05-24 |title=Janet Mbugua Biography, Age, Education, Family, Career And Projects |url=https://whownskenya.com/index.php/2021/05/24/janet-mbugua-biography-age-education-family-career-and-projects/ |access-date=2022-04-30 |website=whownskenya |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2020-11-11 |title=WHY JANET MBUGUA RETIRED FROM THE MEDIA INDUSTRY |url=https://women.co.ke/index.php/2020/11/11/why-janet-mbugua-retired-from-the-media-industry/ |access-date=2022-04-30 |website=Women |language=en-US }}{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
After working for sometime, she joined the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology in Malaysia for her degree in Mass communication.
She did her MBA in Global Business Management at the Swiss Management Academy in Nairobi, Kenya.
Career
In 2004, at the age of 19, Mbugua started off her career at 98.4 Capital FM.{{cite web|date=|first=|last=|url=http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/m/article/1144006483/i-m-janet-mbugua|title=I'm Janet Mbugua|accessdate=9 February 2016|website=Standard Media}} In 2009, she was hired as a news anchor, reporter, and producer of Pan-African current affairs show, Africa 360,{{cite web|url=http://www.africa-asa.com/janet-mbugua/|title=Africa 360|accessdate=9 February 2016|website=Africa ASA}} by e.tv in Johannesburg, South Africa. She was until recently a news anchor at Citizen TV hosting Monday Special and The Big Question.{{cite web|date=20 October 2015|first=Elainer|last=Mogoa|url=https://citizentv.co.ke/entertainment/citizen-tvs-janet-mbugua-pranks-co-host-hussein-mohammed-103623/|title=Citizen TV's Janet Mbugua pranks co-host Hussein Mohammed|accessdate=9 February 2016|website=Citizen TV}}
In 2014, she starred in a sitcom, Rush.{{cite web|url=http://www.spielworksmedia.com/janet-mbugua-unleashed/|title=JANET MBUGUA UNLEASHED|accessdate=9 February 2016|website=Spielswork Media}} She was cast in the lead role as Pendo Adama,{{cite web|url=http://www.actors.co.ke/en/mer/articledetail/600|title=CITIZEN TV NEWS ANCHOR JANET MBUGUA TO DEBUT IN STAR STUDDED SERIES RUSH|accessdate=9 February 2016|website=Actors.co.ke}} the owner and editor-in-chief of Rush Magazine.{{cite web|url=http://nairobiwire.com/2014/04/watch-citizen-tvs-janet-mbugua-kick-start-acting-career-trailer.html|title=Watch Citizen TV's Janet Mbugua Kick Start Her Acting Career|accessdate=9 February 2016|website=Nairobi Wire|date=25 April 2014 }}
In July 2017, she began consulting for The Hive, a US Based Organization seeking to amplify Gender Equality messaging in Kenya and other African countries.{{Cite web|title=Women celebrate Kenya's first woman marine pilot on Day of the Seafarer|url=https://www.the-star.co.ke/sasa/2019-06-25-women-celebrate-kenyas-first-woman-marine-pilot-on-day-of-the-seafarer/|website=The Star|language=en-KE|access-date=2020-05-03}} In 2019, she curated and hosted a TV Show dubbed Here And Now on NTV, which focused on socio-economic and political issues affecting young people.{{Cite web|title=Janet Mbugua returns on screen, brings brother along to talk about depression – VIDEO|url=https://nairobinews.nation.co.ke/chillax/janet-mbugua-returns-on-screen-brings-brother-along-to-talk-about-depression-video|website=Nairobi News|date=21 June 2019 |language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-03}}{{Cite web|title=Janet Mbugua makes TV comeback with brand new show|url=https://www.sde.co.ke/article/2001329566/janet-mbugua-makes-tv-comeback-with-brand-new-show|last=Anyango|first=Diana|website=Standard Digital News|access-date=2020-05-03|archive-date=2019-09-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190905184820/https://www.sde.co.ke/article/2001329566/janet-mbugua-makes-tv-comeback-with-brand-new-show|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web |title=Janet Mbugua – Inua Dada Foundation |url=https://inuadadafoundation.org/team/our-founder/ |access-date=2024-11-21 |language=en-US}}
Humanitarian works
She is the founder and director of Media Avenue Limited, where persons are provided with services such as public speaking, moderating, and Emceeing. She has also reinforced the empowerment of young females with the Inua Dada campaign{{cite web|date=16 August 2014|first=Ndegwa|last=Maina|url=http://nairobiwire.com/2014/08/joey-muthengi-janet-mbugua-noble-cause.html|title=Joey Muthengi Joins Janet Mbugua for Inua Dada|accessdate=9 February 2016|website=Nairobi Wire|archive-date=26 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151126111444/http://nairobiwire.com/2014/08/joey-muthengi-janet-mbugua-noble-cause.html|url-status=dead}} that is endorsed by Kenya's first lady, Margaret Kenyatta.{{cite web|url=http://www.zakenya.com/product-reviews/inua-dada-initiative-in-kenya.html|title=Inua Dada Campaign|accessdate=9 February 2016|website=Za Kenya|archive-date=8 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308235547/http://www.zakenya.com/product-reviews/inua-dada-initiative-in-kenya.html|url-status=dead}} On 8 October 2021, she launched The Inua Dada Centre at Korogocho{{Cite web |title=JANET MBUGUA LAUNCHES INUA DADA CENTRE IN KOROGOCHO – Buzz Central |date=8 October 2021 |url=https://buzzcentral.co.ke/2021/10/janet-mbugua-launches-inua-dada-centre-in-korogocho/ |access-date=2022-04-30 |language=en-GB}} slum in Nairobi. The centre is a space that provides access to information and awareness on reproductive health and rights.
Personal life
Janet Mbugua is married to Edward Ndichu.{{cite web|url=http://africagossipnews.com/kenya-wedding-pictures-citizens-tv-janet-mbugua-husband-eddie-ndichu-glamorous/|title=KENYA: Wedding Pictures of Citizen's TV Janet Mbugua and husband Eddie Ndichu **Glamorous**|accessdate=9 February 2016|website=Africa Gossip News}} Together they have two sons, Ethan Huru Ndichu born in October 2015 and Mali Ndichu.{{cite web|date=26 October 2016|first=Lisa|last=Kamau|url=https://citizentv.co.ke/entertainment/its-a-baby-boy-for-citizen-tvs-janet-mbugua-104019/|title=It's a baby boy for Citizen TV's Janet Mbugua – Ndichu|accessdate=9 February 2016|website=Citizen TV}}{{cite web|url=http://www.sde.co.ke/m/article/2000180740/citizen-tv-s-anchor-janet-mbugua-gives-birth-to-bouncing-baby-boy|title=Citizen TV's anchor Janet Mbugua gives birth to bouncing baby boy|accessdate=9 February 2016|website=SDE|archive-date=3 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180703190923/https://www.sde.co.ke/m/article/2000180740/citizen-tv-s-anchor-janet-mbugua-gives-birth-to-bouncing-baby-boy|url-status=dead}} In 2019, Janet released her first book, ‘My First Time’, a collection of short stories from women, girls and men on their first interaction with menstruation.{{Cite web|title=Janet Mbugua adds 'Author' to her Title as she Launches 'My First Time' Book|url=https://nairobiwire.com/2019/10/janet-mbugua-adds-author-to-her-title-as-she-launches-my-first-time-book.html|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-03|archive-date=2019-10-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191029000957/http://nairobiwire.com/2019/10/janet-mbugua-adds-author-to-her-title-as-she-launches-my-first-time-book.html|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|title=#WCW: Janet Mbugua, breaking barriers for women - Evewoman|url=https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/evewoman/article/2001349120/wcw-janet-mbugua-breaking-barriers-for-women|website=www.standardmedia.co.ke|access-date=2020-05-03}}
Filmography
- Rush {{ndash}} Pendo Adama
References
{{Reflist|30em}}{{Commons}}{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mbugua, Janet}}
Category:Kenyan television journalists