Betty Kyalo: From An Accident Casualty To A High Flying TV Anchor (Part 1)

Mention the screen sirens at KTN and her name will not miss on the list. The stunning anchor even made it to the list of hottest TV news anchors last year. Ladies and gentlemen am referring to Betty Kyalo.

A car enthusiast, Betty describes herself as “a Kenyan with mighty dreams turning into reality”. Easy going. Lover of carsHer journey to success has been a thorny one characterized by many stumbling blocks but she did not let them get in her way to a successful career. She recently spoke to Shirley Genga about her past and it wasn’t as rosy.

Betty comes from a humble background; she grew up in Ongata Rongai and Kahawa West and was raised by her mum. Even though her parents were separated, her father was still present in her life.

“I am the second born in a family of four. I have an elder brother and two younger sisters,” she says.
Growing up, she idolised veteran TV anchor Catherine Kasavuli. From the moment she discovered her, a young Betty knew she was also destined for television.

“I originally wanted to be a nun because they looked so angelic and peaceful in church, but I guess television was more appealing,” she says with a cheeky smile.

“I wanted it so much, I would practice reading the news in front of the mirror and I would read it out loud,” the bubbly presenter who attended Olerai Primary and Uhuru Gardens Primary schools recalls.

While attending Kangundo Girls High School, Betty continued to prepare for her future dream career in media by ensuring she performed well in English and Kiswahili. However, her life took an unexpected turn on August 6, 2005 when she was in Form Three — something tragic happened.

Life changed forever

“While crossing the road from Railway Station to Gill House in Nairobi, on my way to meet up with a friend for lunch, I was hit by a Double M bus. I fell to the ground and I was dragged under. I was a mess,” she says. “I fell on my left side and injured half myself badly. I broke my left elbow and jaw; I fractured my collar bone and four ribs deflated my lungs and half of my face was grazed,” she recalls with a tinge of sadness.

Betty was rushed to hospital by Good Samaritans. “I could not walk, go to the toilet on my own and even do basic stuff. The skin on my face was grazed so badly I had no skin on the left side of my face. My jaw was unstable and when I tried to speak it would move. I was hospitalised for two months,” she says.

Read part 2 of her story HERE.

[Standard Digital]