Kenya-based BBC broadcast journalist Anne Waithera has died, aged 39, in a Nairobi hospital.

She had been battling cancer for the past two years.

Described as among the most talented Kenyan journalists of her time, she joined the BBC in 2009 after many years with local TV and radio stations.

She was the first BBC bilingual - English and Swahili - reporter to be appointed to the Ethiopia capital, Addis Ababa.

Her death comes less than a fortnight after that of another celebrated BBC journalist, Komla Dumor from Ghana, in London.

A minute's silence was observed by BBC Africa staff in Nairobi, London, Dakar and Abuja.

BBC Africa editor Solomon Mugera described her as "a brave, well-organised and talented journalist".

BBC international bureaux manager Razvan Scortea added: "I am very saddened by this. Anne was a lovely person, bright, gentle and positive, and she fought so hard. God bless her."