The life of Kanze Dena, Uhuru’s new spokesperson

Little was said about top TV anchor Kellen Beatrice Kanze Dena until her appointment as President Uhuru Kenyatta’s deputy spokesperson yesterday. A fourth born in a family of six, the news director, producer and Swahili news anchor is a 39-year-old woman with many titles under her belts. Kanze who stars alongside Lulu Hassan on Ctizen TV’s ‘Nipashe’ was born of Duruma parents in Kwale but had her primary and secondary education in Embu County.

Difficult life to glory

She went to Kianjokoma Promary School before joining Kyeni Girls. She would later study journalism and mass communication in Foundation Collage of Professional Studies.

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In what she says began when her father left her to a single mother at the age of four, Kanze’s life has not been a smooth one. She gave birth to her first born child Natasha after high school, opting to give her out for adoption.  In an emotional interview at a local Radio station, Kanze narrated how she rescinded the decision at the advice of her mother. In a separate interview, she has owed her low esteem and alcoholism to have led to the pregnancy. Natasha went to stay with her grandmother in Mombasa as Kanze continued with her Media studies in Nairobi.

Three months later Natasha died. The death of her daughter, she says pushed her to the brink of suicide. Depression kicked in after three foiled suicide attempts.   Later she joined Nairobi Baptist Church where she found solace and rediscovered herself through counselling. It is here where she joined the Bible study classes and the praise and worship team.

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Work

Her stint as journalist began at Kenya Broadcasting Corporation as an intern. Honing her skills as a radio reporter. While at KBC she had her second child. Misfortune would kick in a year later when her mother died of cancer.    Much has changed since then, she is now married whilst co-parenting with the father of her six-year-old son. In her new role, she will take over the leadership of digital, messaging, research, branding and press at State House.

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She lost her first child

Kanze got pregnant while working as a waitress at a restaurant on Moi Avenue, near the bomb blast memorial.  She later quit to pursue a course in IT and secretarial courses at Loreto Msongari.

She managed to hide the pregnancy from her mother and aunt by moving to a hostel and wanted to give up the baby for adoption under the Crisis Pregnancy program.

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