Radio Africa Group has replaced top digital journalist and social media bigwig Oliver Mathenge, who was The Star Digital Editor, and replaced him with veteran journalist Francis Mureithi.

In a statement, Group Head of Content Paul Ilado said Mureithi will oversee growth plans across all Radio Africa digital assets after Mathenge left the company for Nation Media Group.

“Mureithi is a seasoned journalist with over 15 years of experience in the media landscape. He has over the years worked in various spheres of journalism, including Court and Parliament and, for the past five years, has been responsible for leading the newsroom as News Editor,” Ilado said in the statement released on Monday.

FRANCIS MUREITHI. PHOTO/COURTESY

He added, “Apart from increasing our digital numbers, Mureithi will look to create new products, especially audio-visual content, in order to double our digital revenue in the next one year as we move towards a paywall.”

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Mureithi, who joined the Star 13 years ago, has a bachelor's degree in Languages & Literary Studies from Moi University and a master’s degree in International Conflict Management from the University of Nairobi and is also pursuing a Master of Arts degree in Digital Journalism at the Aga Khan University Graduate School of Media & Communications.

Ilado praised Mathenge saying he had done extremely well in growing the group’s digital platforms in the last five years.

“Radio Africa will always be grateful to Mathenge for the part he played in growing the digital section of the business,” Ilado said.

At the same time, veteran journalist Jillo Kadida has been promoted to the position of News Editor at the Star and will head a converged newsroom.

JILLO KADIDA. PHOTO/COURTESY

“Kadida becomes the first woman in the history of Radio Africa to occupy the converged News Editor’s position as the company continues to place deserving and competent women in key decision-making positions,” he added.

Kadida was the Deputy News Editor and leader of the Court team and is a past winner of the David Astor Journalism Award, and previously worked for the Daily Nation as a legal and human rights reporter.

She studied print and radio journalism at Magenta Training Institute and also studied public relations at the University of Nairobi.