Gicheru also exposed the corruption of a prominent ruling party leader who siphoned off millions of dollars of government controlled funds into a private housing development. She was harassed and threatened by thugs who tried unsuccessfully to prevent publication of the story.
After receiving her Courage in Journalism Award, Gicheru won a Nieman Fellowship, established a bureau of the paper in Mombasa, the second largest city in Kenya, and served as news editor of The Nation. In November 1999, she was appointed investigations editor for the Nation Media Group and remains a highly respected voice in the Kenyan media.