A Daily Nation report that businessman Chris Kirubi, who died on 14th June, launched Capital FM is false.
Industrialist Chris Kirubi’s death has been hot news in Kenya both in corporate and political circles. Kirubi is one of the richest Kenyans and most successful business people and industrialists in East Africa and considered a trendsetter.
According to records he owns shares in a number of companies, among them Capital FM. In reporting about Kirubi’s business empire, Daily Nation’s reporter John Kamau wrote on 15th June edition that “in the media industry, Kirubi launched capital FM radio – a leader in its segment. It is here that the flamboyant businessman had the tag DJ CK as he tried his hand as a presenter – as a hobby.”
The statement that Kirubi launched Capital FM is, as it were, untrue. According to Business Today fact-check Kirubi bought the media company from its founder, British businesswoman Linda Carole Holt, and relaunched it.
Linda Holt launched Capital FM in 1998, while Kirubi bought into the radio channel in 2003. Linda’s husband, Bob Holt, was Standard Media Group’s CEO. Linda later moved on to launch RedSky advertising agency.
[ This story was produced by Business Today in partnership with Code for Africa’s iLAB data journalism programme, with support from Deutsche Welle Akademie ]
