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Elsie Wambui portrait, Nairobi newsroom
Studio portrait of Elsie Wambui — credit: Steph Meade / lummi

Global multimedia investigations from Nairobi — commissionable, verifiable, impact‑ready.

Long‑form reporting, broadcast packages and embedded sourcing across East Africa.

Email to Commission — [email protected] Download Pitch Deck

Core hours: 8:30–17:30 EAT • Response to professional commissioning inquiries within 4 EAT business hours

The Digital Divide's Ghost: Unmasking Ghost Towers in Urban Africa

2025 • The Globe Sentinel • Independent investigation

Executive summary: This investigation mapped inactive and unlicensed cellular masts across multiple urban districts, interviewed affected residents and telecom insiders, and obtained regulatory documents that correlate with service outages. Verification included cross-referencing field GPS logs, procurement documents and three independent operator confirmations. Outcome: two government inquiries and new regulatory attention to tower registration.

Evidence

  • Video clip thumbnail — Ghost Towers

    Video clip — rooftop survey

    MP4 excerpt and publisher embed available in digital artifacts.

    Open media folder

  • Data visualization thumbnail — tower registry

    Data visualizations

    Charts and mapped coordinates used to corroborate tower activity timestamps. Data available on request.

    Request raw data

  • PDF documents thumbnail — regulatory files

    Supporting documents (PDF)

    Procurement and registration documents cited in the report. Available in artifacts folder.

    Download press CV

Commission a follow-up

If you would like a bespoke follow-up investigation, email a short brief to [email protected] or use the Commission page. Replies within 4 EAT business hours.

Commission a follow-up Request raw assets

Data Darkroom: How Biometric IDs are Eroding Privacy in Nairobi's Markets

2024 • Global Tech Quarterly • Commissioned

Executive summary: This piece documents how biometric ID collection in marketplaces has led to unauthorized data sharing and targeting. Methods included vendor interviews, field observations, and document analysis of vendor agreements. The reporting prompted editorial follow-ups and contributed to public discussion on biometric governance.

Evidence & access

Audio excerpts, annotated vendor agreements and screenshots are available for verification in the artifacts folder. For access to raw files, request via commissioning email.

Open evidence folder

The Climate Exodus: Audio Diary from Kenya's Unseen Drought Migration

2023 • BBC World Service • Multimedia

Executive summary: An audio-first field report capturing first-person testimonies of families displaced by drought. Includes recorded diary entries, field notes and a transcript. The piece demonstrates the value of immersive audio for humanitarian reporting and has been used by producers as a model for empathetic multimedia storytelling.

Audio excerpt & transcript

"We left at dawn because there was no water left for the goats..." — excerpt from field diary.

Audio clip available: listen (MP3) — transcript included in artifacts.

1.5M+

combined views/listens

2

government inquiries initiated

7

exclusive sources on a single probe

"Elsie's sourcing is impeccable. She possesses the rare ability to turn complex data into a clear, ethical, and high-stakes narrative that we trust completely."

— Ava Sharma, Investigative Editor, The Globe Sentinel

"Her deep knowledge of the East African tech landscape and governance issues makes her an essential voice for our international coverage."

— David Kimani, Bureau Chief, Global Tech Quarterly

"She delivered a challenging field report with flawless production quality. Elsie is a truly multi-platform journalist."

— Dr. Lindiwe Nkosi, Senior Producer, BBC World Service

Awards & Recognition

  • East Africa Journalism Excellence Award (2024) — Winner, Investigative Reporting
  • Prestigious Journalism Center Fellowship (2023) — Digital Security and Governance
  • Local Press Club Story of the Year — Finalist (2025)

References

Full references and contactable referees available on request. Email [email protected]

Need an on-the-ground investigation or a broadcast package?

Email [email protected] — reply within 4 EAT business hours

Core hours: 8:30–17:30 EAT • Best contact windows: Africa/Europe 9:00–14:00 EAT; Middle East/Asia 8:30–10:00 EAT; North America 15:00–17:30 EAT

Email to Commission Download Pitch Deck