John Allan Namu Biography
John Allan Namu is a renowned Kenyan investigative journalist and co-founder of Africa Uncensored. He is one of the most fearless journalists in the region and is known for his in-depth investigations of corruption, social injustices, and human rights abuses across Africa. With over a decade of experience in journalism, Namu has been one of the most influential and respected journalists in investigative reporting across Africa.
John Allan Namu Age
Namu was born in Nairobi, Kenya, on January 23, 1983. He turned 45 in 2025. Namu has not been a fan of birthdays, as there are not many photos of him celebrating them annually.
| Age | 41 Years |
| Date of Birth | January 23, 1983 |
| Zodiac Sign | Aquarius |
John Allan Namu Educational Background
Namu attended Strathmore School in Lavington Westlands for his primary education before joining St. Mary’s School for his high school education. He later joined the United States International University Africa for his undergraduate studies, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism in 2006. He then enrolled at Aga Khan University in Nairobi, Kenya, for his master’s in Media Leadership and Innovation.
John Allan Namu Family: Parents and Siblings
The only name we know for Allan’s father is Mr Namu, the surname after which he is named, and his mother is Gertrude Muthoni Namu, who has since passed away.
Allan has not disclosed whether he has any siblings. We are monitoring this information and will update it as soon as we have more information about his siblings.
John Allan Namu’s Mother’s Death
In a statement made by the highly respected journalist, Allan’s mother, Gertrude Muthoni Namu, passed away early in the morning on Friday, December 6, 2024. According to reports, Namu’s mother died after battling cancer illness for a while. Following her demise, Namu’s colleagues and friends in the media industry in Kenya and across the African region shared messages of condolences to him and his family.
John Allan Namu Height and Weight
Namu has an average height of 6 feet and 4 inches and a moderate weight of around 65 Kg. He has been keen to maintain this weight over the years, which adds to his media posture. His weight indicates that he exercises regularly and maintains a healthy diet.
| Height | 6.4ft |
| Weight | 65 Kgs |
| Eye Color | Brown |
| Hair Color | Black |
John Allan Namu Wife
Namu is married to his life partner, Sheena Makena. The couple got married in 2010 and has four children. The couple has recently shared that their love story began at Standard Media Group, where Namu was an intern while Makena served as an editor. For privacy reasons, the couple has not disclosed their children’s names. We are keeping tabs on this information and shall update the section once we get information about the children.
| Wife | Sheena Makena |
| Kids | Not Disclosed |
John Allan Namu Salary
Namu once shared that he received a salary of KSh 35,000 when he was a reporter at KTN News before rising to about KSh 400,000 during his second stint with KTN. Having co-founded Africa Uncensored, it is believed that his salary is about Ksh 1,000,000.
John Allan Namu Net Worth
Namu’s net worth is estimated at between ksh 1 million to 5 million. He has amassed the wealth as a reporter and as an investigative journalist.
| Primary Source Of Income | Investigative Journalist |
| Salary | Approximately ksh 1,000,000 |
| Net Worth | Between Ksh1 million and Ksh 5 million |
Quick Facts
- Name: John Allan Namu
- Age: 41 years as of 2024
- Nationality: Kenyan
- Ethnicity: Black
- Height: 6.4ft
- Marital Status: Married
- Wife: Sheena Makena
- Occupation: Reporter, Investigative Journalist
- Salary: Approximately KSh 1,000,000
- Net Worth: Between Ksh 1 million and Ksh 5 million
Africa Uncensored
Namu left KTN and established Africa Uncensored in 2015 with two other colleagues from the Television (KTN). As a co-founder, chief executive, and editorial director of African Uncensored, I conduct in-depth probes of issues often avoided by multiple newsrooms. The aim was to ensure that all underreported public issues are brought to light through the thorough coverage they deserve. Africa Uncensored has unearthed some of the most corrupt deals in Kenya and East Africa, from city bosses who use violence to demand bribes from street vendors in Nairobi to criminal gangs enjoying support from politicians to fake fertilizers being sold to Kenyans through government outlets.
Before co-founding Africa Uncensored, Namu was a reporter at KTN for his second stint with the media station. He joined Kenya Television Network in 2005 before joining NTV, a Nation Media Group outlet, in 2010. Namu later returned to KTN before founding Africa Uncensored.
Individual Honors and Awards
- Named CNN/Multichoice African Journalist of the Year in 2009.
- Journalist of the Year, Excellence Award 2015.
- Journalist of the Year, Excellence Award 2016.
- Journalist of the Year, Excellence Award 2017.
- Winner, Trace International Prize on Investigative Journalism 2019.
- Winner, Global Shining Light Award 2019.
- Winner of ICFJ Knight International Journalism Award in 2024.