What do you know about the eloquent and beautiful television anchor Victoria Rubadiri? Victoria was born in Kenya and partly raised in the USA. She has a Malawian origin. Her great grandfather was from Malawi and was once a slave. Her name ‘Rubadiri’ came from him as he prayed.
We know Victoria Rubadiri from the screen as she reads the news. She is currently a news anchor at Citizen Television. She hosts Sunday Live together with Jeff Koinange. Her beautiful face and captivating voice make you listen to every bit of the news she reads.
Rubadiri’s Early Life
Rubadiri was born in Nairobi, Kenya to Kwame and Emmy Rubadiri. Her grandfather was a famous writer, poet and diplomat in Malawi. David Rubadiri, her grandfather, went to school with prominent people like the former Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and former Tanzania President Benjamin Mkapa. He also rubbed shoulders with literature gurus like the Nigerian, Chinua Achebe.
Her parents being both in careers in the radio encouraged her into doing her first voiceover at the age of three. It was an intro to her mother’s show which she later edited. Growing up in that environment encouraged her interest in journalism.
Rubadiri Being Different
At the age of 10, her parents relocated to the United States where she attended school. Life was not easy for her.
She was different from the rest of her agemates and schoolmates. Her name was different from the rest and her Kenyan accent was also different from the American one. This made her not to fit in.
This resulted in her living in a cocoon without close friends. This took a toll on her self esteem. She did all she could to get validation from others. Sadly, she attracted the wrong company.
At the University, in the first year, she dated a guy who she admits was wrong for her. He got her pregnant but refused to accept that the baby was his.
With so much moral and emotional support from her parents, she gave birth to her daughter. She also finished her University education.
She has been able to face the challenges of being a young mother and has overcome it. Today, she helps other girls who are undergoing the same situation. She encourages them to be courageous as they too are able to overcome.
Rubadiri Career
She went to Temple University in the US where she graduated with a Bachelors degree in Journalism. In Kenya, she landed her first job at Capital FM as a business journalist and a news presenter in 2012.
She later moved to Nation Media where she was a news anchor. She started her own show “Victoria’s Lounge” where she was a producer and the presenter. The show became one of the most popular shows in Kenya.
From Nation Media, she went to Citizen TV where she hosts Sunday Live with Jeff Koinange.
The Name Rubadiri
Her name Rubadiri has an interesting origin. Her great grandfather was a Malawian who was released from Oman. Back home in Malawi now converted to Muslim, he would pray the Muslim prayers repeating the words arubadiri! arubaduri! This amazed the villagers that they nicknamed him Rubadiri. He liked the name and he made it his name.
The name has gone down generations to now Victoria Rubadiri his great-granddaughter.
Victoria is truly a woman to emulate. She proves that whichever lemon life throws at you, it’s very possible to make lemonade.
