I was misunderstood -Louis Otieno finally opens up about his controversial media career

Former news anchor Louis Otieno has denied claims that he often looked down upon his colleagues in the media industry.

Speaking to Nation in a recent podcast, the veteran journalist rubbished claims that he was arrogant when he was at the peak of his career, insisting that many people, especially his colleagues, misunderstood him.

According to Otieno, despite working in a tough environment then, he was never really a bully as many would paint him but a firm media professional who stood for what he believed in.

Being one of the celebrities bred when the media space was opening up in the early 2000, Otieno says he never had it easy with the ever-controlling bosses then.

He recalls an incident where he took the top brass head-on after his former employer introduced a new system of dressing for anchors to keep them ‘on brand’.

Apparently, the media house required the anchors to wear suits procured for them while going on air and change back to their usual wears after the news, a move Otieno says didn’t make any sense to him.

“So, let me understand what you are saying; you’ll dress me up for the news but tomorrow, I can bounce around in my estate or in town in my Rastafari T-shirt or my football jersey or my dungarees or whatever I chose to wear. Will that complement the brand’s look?” He posed.

“I said, I’m sorry but I’m a grown man. I know how to dress myself. I know how to blend my colours. I do not believe I need my clothing or my dressing supervised at this age.”

Louis Otieno ‘benched’

The remarks would have Otieno ‘benched’ for some time for challenging the powers that be. He recalls that what kept him ‘on air’ was the pressure from Kenyans who loved his work.

“My bosses tried to get me off-air so many times. I thank Kenyans because many times I remained on air because of pressure from them,” he added.

In another incident, the journalist says he had an unpleasant encounter with another boss on his first day at work at a local station.

Otieno says the senior manager attempted to flex on him but being the confident man that he is, he shot it down, rubbing them(manager) the wrong way.

“I vividly remember him swinging on his managerial seat. And he looks at me and he says, ‘So you are the one who’s called so-and-so?’ And I said, ‘Those are my names, yes.’ And then he says, ‘So what makes you think I need you?” he recalls.

“I’m looking at him and I knew we were in trouble from day one. But I knew what I have is bigger than me. And if it’s bigger than me, It’s bigger than him. So I looked at him and I told him, “Actually sir, I think the correct question would be, what can you do for me?” And he stopped swinging,” he adds.

Otieno indicates that the reason why he had a problem working with some people in the media is that they couldn’t keep up with the changing trends in the industry.

“Well, they hate my guts. They say I don’t respect authority. They say I don’t follow protocol. But I’m sorry. I cannot sit back and apologise to you that I did not sit back and be a passenger on your train when you’re moving at 20 kilometres per hour and it is going to Mombasa. We’ve got to move,” Otieno says.

Otieno’s media career took a nose dive after he was linked to the alleged murder of former Kenya Power employee Careen Chepchumba.

Chepchumba, who is said to have been in a romantic relationship with the journalist, was found dead in her apartment at Kilimani’s Santonia Court in Nairobi, on February 14, 2012.

While fighting to clear his name, Otieno lost his hearing and has been trying to make a comeback to TV in vain.

In the past, he has also been accused of neglecting his family by his own son, Silas Miami.