Ayub Abdikadir is a journalist whose career journey is a testament to the values of consistency, hard work, professionalism, and talent. He started as a little-known journalist and gradually rose to become one of the most bankable names in the highly competitive media industry in Kenya. He has been likened to ex-Citizen TV prime-time news anchor and the current State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed by some Kenyans.
Abdikadir began his career as a primetime news anchor at Ebru TV before moving to Mediamax Limited owned K24, where he hosted the Morning Review political show. However, he came into the public limelight in July when he interviewed the then Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman Wafula Chebukati and CEO Hussein Marjan. He impressed Kenyans with his interviewing skills that brought to the fore the workings of the IEBC.
In a short clip that went viral on the internet, Abdikadir demonstrated his well-versed interviewing skills by seeking answers from Marjan on whether due diligence was followed before awarding a mega tender to Smartmatic elections company. He asked Marjan if he was aware that the Cybercrime Investigation and the Coordinating Center (CICC) in the Philippines after the 2016 elections called on its Smartmatic to compromise the elections which led to the election of President Rodrigo Duterte. He also asked Marjan if he knew that in Uganda, the biometrics voter kits failed, forcing election officials to revert to the manual voter’s system. Marjan responded by stating that he relied on the evaluation committee’s report after they do their due diligence.
Earlier this month, Royal Media Services poached Ayub Abdikadir to join Citizen TV as a senior political reporter. He joined the TV station alongside Wilkister Nyabwa from CGTN, Serfine Achieng’ from KBC and Mary Muoki of Metropol TV. Prominent individuals such as Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK) Ezekiel Mutua and then Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development David Osiany congratulated him on social media.
In conclusion, Ayub Abdikadir’s career journey demonstrates that with consistency, hard work, professionalism, and talent, one can rise from obscurity to become a recognizable name in the media industry. His viral interview with the IEBC Chairman and CEO brought his name to the limelight and showcased his interviewing skills. His move to Citizen TV is a testament to his rising star in the industry, and many Kenyans have high hopes for his future.
