This archive report was first published on 22 June 2020.
June 22, 2020 - In a candid social media post, TV journalist Yvonne Okwara revealed the harsh realities of being a dark-skinned journalist in Kenya's media industry.
Okwara, a seasoned Citizen TV news anchor, alleged that she has been subjected to open bias by her bosses, simply because of her skin color.
She fell short of revealing the specific media house where she experienced discrimination, but emphasized that light-skinned female journalists in Kenya often have an easier time making it in the trade.
Okwara called on her fans to treat the issue of skin color discrimination in the country as seriously as racism, saying 'we also need to reflect on our own culture in this part of the world.'
She lamented that darker-skinned women are expected to be smarter and work twice as hard to get ahead, while light-skinned colleagues are often given more opportunities and privilege.
Okwara's comments sparked a heated debate on social media, with many Kenyans sharing their own experiences of skin color discrimination in the media industry.
