Purity Mwambia
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Former Citizen TV investigative journalist Purity Mwambia fled to the US after receiving death threats due to her story on rogue cops.
On May 30, 2023, she was invited to a conference hosted by the United States Department of State which focused on the special difficulties female journalists face. She was part of a panel discussion put together by the Bureau of Global Public Affairs that centred around women who had been forced into exile for their journalistic work. Mwambia remembered the difficulties of living in exile, confessing that she hadn't achieved much professionally since fleeing Kenya two years ago and settling in the US.
She pointed out how challenging it is for international reporters to gain a foothold in the American media industry; "It's so hard. In all this time I've only been able to do one piece with one firm."
In 2021, the former Citizen TV journalist in her exposé 'Guns Galore' revealed how rogue police officers and soldiers were renting their weapons to criminals. The investigation uncovered law enforcement officers who provided guns, ammunition, uniforms and handcuffs to offenders in exchange for a percentage of proceeds from their criminal acts. After the findings were released, Mwambia was threatened by those within the security forces who were angry about the exposé and had to escape to America for her safety.
Mwambia disclosed that the organization that took her to America had abandoned her, and she risks sliding into homelessness as her prospects in the US remain uncertain.
"Some who come here say it is like the American dream but has its own challenges. You find yourself in a place where there is no one to talk to, no one to run to. Personally, I was brought here by an organisation and they abandoned me. They left me, I’m on the verge of homelessness because I don’t know what to do next.” Purity Mwambia said.
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In US, you start from the bottom and build yourself up! Stop whining Sis and get to work, any work!!!
Si uende live-in huko Seattle.
Dada, when you come to this country you start all the way from the bottom and work your way up again.
She probably have the Kenyan makuu in America! Start from the bottom and work your way up! But you need to find the bottom first and tirelessly work the ladder to stardom! Others have done and you can do it too!
Mwambia, you are smarter than this. If they gave you asylum which I think based on your story, then make a lemonade outta lemons that you find here in this huge country. There are tonnes and tonnes of opportunities you can focus on as a person with college credentials, besides just being a journalist..And you don't even have to bribe anyone like they do back there in motherland,fortunately and shame to people in the so called motherland.. Bure kabisa!
Welcome to the land of milk and honey, we all go through this phase, jikaze dada, if you have papers to stay, you need to get any job you can to get your basics and then carve a way forward and the need to find someone who to talk to, help you, weuh! Huku si Kenya, you learn to entertain yourself, talk to yourself, take care of yourself, and rely on yourself.
Agree, I learned that after losing my job and my house.
Als it would be helpful to let folks know how to reach you. There must be a Kenyan community /church etc near you. If not, weka your phone hapa ...
In this good ole USA you have to be nobody before you become somebody.
In the USA you come here and start all over. You are now out of danger and the government is not going to provide you with a job. Get out there and secure a job while at the same time attending university so you can secure the right job you want or to continue with your journalism career. That is the truth about America! Opportunities are plenty but are not handed over to you on a silver plater. Wash the mentality you came with and breath the air of USA. I promise you if you start changing the mentality of depending on the organization and get up and start working whatever job you find soon you will see the change in your life. Most organizations are funded by tax payers who get up every day to go to work.
Atīrīrī Faithi Njeri, ebu rudi nyumbani ukalime, grow tomatoes. The rogue thugs have forgotten about you by now. Some maybe in the government and thinking of bigger things.
Might I suggest going back home. Life in the US can be difficult and kama huna makaratasi it's becomes a shadow of a life. Nyumbani you have friends and family that care about you. In the US the daily grind does not lend itself to helping strangers too much.
Oh Lady, they expected you to pick up and adapt and keep moving. You cannot expect to come from Kenya, a 3rd world, and have NBC pick you up, accent and all. What about their own people? Help from who?
Damn Seneca, all this time I was told accent si impediment. This explains Madowo kidogo🤣. Clearly WaKenya in America have valuable lessons if she is willing to listen. Mainly if you're from someplace else no one cares what you've done, who you know much less who you used to be. Your life is yours, make what you will of it.
Kenyan journalists are full of entitlement & like complaining a lot.
Their job is telling reporting (mostly) but you will find they don’t even have YouTube channel, website or even a Facebook where they put their reports & stories.
U don't get spoon fed forever in USA. Ask asylum, remove nail polish and lipstick and start wiping a couple of old people butts for a start. Watu wanatoka mbali kupitia border na kiosha vyombo chini ya meza na baadaye in ten years they are self made millionaires.
Nobody will babysit you in USA. Get any job you can get be it cutting glass over the summer or caregiver. When you are free use your smart phone to record videos and put them on Youtube. If things are too hard for you go back to Kenya.
She could get in touch with even Larry Madowo to put her up on game.
Most people who immigrate don't understand how difficult it is as an adult.
If Mexicans can survive here bila makaratasi, sembuse wewe dada? You can do this girl, but be willing to do real humility to start from down there and in 5 years hutaamini.
kenyaans have a stoppiddd mentality ya kupewa saa yote!
Pole Dada but it’s good you have spoken. There are many Kenyans who can help you to settle and I wish you contacted other Kenyan journalists,Jeremy Damaris or Mureithi for free directions.