There was a quiet moment of reflection on morning television this week as Janet Mbugua signed off from her role at Nation Media Group, bringing her time on a popular current affairs programme to an early close.

Speaking during her final appearance on Fixing the Nation on April 17, Ms Mbugua told viewers that her decision to leave was shaped by a shift in personal and professional priorities.

“It was coming off the back of a very intense season in the country that I had already been very vocal about,” she said. “So it just felt like a natural fit to continue with that advocacy… and bring it onto a mainstream platform.”

A short but visible tenure

The weekday programme, which airs on NTV Kenya, has built a following for its focus on public issues, often bringing together experts, policymakers and ordinary citizens in search of solutions.

Ms Mbugua joined the show just over a year ago, co-hosting alongside Eric Latiff and Mariam Bishar.

Her departure comes earlier than her usual career pattern.

“I typically stay in a role for three to seven years,” she said, describing the move as difficult but necessary.

Beyond the newsroom

Ms Mbugua said she would continue engaging with the public through her social media platforms and her work with the Inua Dada Foundation.

The organisation focuses on menstrual health, girls’ rights and addressing period poverty—issues she has championed for years.

Her exit highlights a broader shift among media figures who increasingly move between journalism, advocacy and public engagement.

A new face steps in

Her successor, Fellaris Wambui, takes over the role with a mix of media and corporate communications experience.

“I’m stepping into very big shoes,” Ms Wambui said, acknowledging the expectations that come with the position.

She added that her aim would be to contribute to the programme’s central idea—that public dialogue can help address national challenges.

“It is a bittersweet entry into this,” she said. “Janet, you are a woman I have really looked up to over the years.”

A changing media landscape

Transitions like this are not uncommon in Kenya’s media industry, where high-profile presenters often shift roles as audiences and platforms evolve.

For viewers, the change marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another.

For Ms Mbugua, it appears to be a return to a more flexible path—one that blends media presence with advocacy work.

As she signed off, her message to audiences was simple: continue the conversation.