Renowned media personality Jeff Mwaura Koinange in an interview with Grace Msalame on her Mali show has opened up about how growing up without a dad shaped him and the special relationship he shares with his son.
Speaking to Grace Msalame the Citizen TV host shared how his father died a few months after he was born thus leaving his mother to take care of him and his three siblings.
“My dad died on March 7th, 1966 when I was just two months old. He left my mother who was 28 years old then with four children. My older sister was four, my other sister was two, my brother was one and then there was me. I never knew him.
This March we celebrated his anniversary, he'd have been 100 however he died at only 43 years,” Jeff recalled.
Growing up without a father figure affected him even though his mom did strive to play both roles to the best of her abilities, a job Jeff maintains she did exemplary well.
However, a gap was still that and he says that made him purpose to be the best father to his son Jamal once he was born. The news anchor promised himself he'd give him the experiences he'd missed out on.
"When I went out that's when it hit me I had no father figure, something was missing but I had to keep moving and find people that inspired me like movie figures and politicians.... it took a while," Jeff narrated.
Speaking about his beautiful relationship with his teen son he said:
"While raising my son, I keep telling myself that I did not have this, so I am extremely intentional about raising him. He is lucky to have both parents,"
Jamal was born in 2007 nearly at the same time as his father left CNN and about 9 years after Jeff and his 2nd wife a woman of Asian descent identified as Shaila, had gotten together.
The 57-year-old TV host further expressed his gratitude for being able to wake up every day and go to work, noting that there are those that are not fortunate enough to do so. Adding that when the time to retire comes he will happily walk away.
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