Journalism was one of the most sought after careers in Kenya at some point. While many attend college to study this course, others find themselves working as journalists even after pursuing something very different from media. One thing for sure, is that hard work and discipline is what holds them at the top.
Below are Kenyan journalists who did not study media but have taken the industry by storm as compiled by WoK.
Felix Odiwuor
Popularly known as Jalang’o, he was one of the most popular journalists in the country. The radio presenter became a household name when he debuted on the popular sitcom Papa Shirandula. His act captured the hearts of many Kenyans coupled with determination, hard work and self belief saw him rise to become a force to reckon with in the media industry.
He interviewed for a radio presenting job without having college/university papers to back him up. However, he went on to express himself exceptionally and began his career in journalism.
In 2020, more than a decade after joining the media industry, he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Community Development from Daystar University.
He ditched the media for politics and currently serves as the MP for Langata.
Yvonne Okwara
Known for her captivating voice, Yvonne works for one of the biggest TV stations in the country, Citizen TV. The journalist is a skillful interviewer and captivates viewers when she reads news. She was known for hosting the popular KTN News’ show Checkpoint before leaving Standard Media for Royal Media Services.
The talented journalist graduated from Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology in 2006 with a Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology.
Fred Arocho
Fred Arocho had an illustrious career in football soon after completing high school. He signed with Sony Sugar before moving on to KCB. Later, he would end up captaining a popular team in the country’s local league before ending his football career.
He attended Kenya Polytechnic and started Image Creations, a mobile communication service company. As a lover of football, he met Carol Radull- the programs controller at Radio Jambo. Carol insisted he had a good sports commentary voice and asked him to attend an interview at Radio Jambo. He did this and was able to secure the job.
Also Read: Fred Arocho Biography, Age, Family, Background and Career
Waihiga Mwaura
After completing his degree in Computer Science, he interned for a Non Governmental Organization. He soon realized this was not the career path he wanted to pursue. Waihiga then decided to pursue a media career starting out as an actor. However, he soon realized it was not his thing. He dropped his resume in a number of media houses and finally got a call from Citizen TV. He began by hosting Zinduka, followed by Power Breakfast Show. He then rose through the ranks to become a senior sports anchor at the station.
Kamene Goro
Kamene pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Law (LLB) at the University of Nairobi and worked as a paralegal for a short time. At the age of 21, she secured a job with Ebru TV where she worked on different programs. Later, she would join NRG radio where she would continue to shine as a journalist. Currently, she hosts the Kiss FM morning show alongside Jalang’o.
Daniel Githinji Mwangi (Mbusii)
Having struggled through high school, Mbusii decided to begin his career at the Kenya National Theatre (KNT) where he acted in set books. He then joined a TV show called Crazy Kenyans but left when he felt his ideas were not being taken into account. He would then go back to KNT where he struggled for a while and even began to peddle drugs. Later, he got the opportunity to work for Ghetto radio and has since made a name for himself as a radio presenter.
MCA Tricky
He became a sensation after being featured on the Churchill Show with many thinking he was just a street boy. While he had struggled and knew about life on the streets, he was not a street kid when he appeared on the Churchill show. He was pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical engineering at Kenyatta University and graduated in December 2019. The comedian then worked on Radio Maisha before moving to Milele FM where he hosted the breakfast show alongside Alex Mwakideu.
Ghost Mulee
Growing up in Nairobi, Mulee loved football from a young age. He attended Ofafa Jericho High School and soon after joined the world of football. He played for a number of teams and even won some leagues. Later, he became the coach of Kenya’s National football team Harambee Stars. After decades in the world of sports, he joined media and began hosting the famed Radio Jambo show Patanisho.
Also Read: Ghost Mulee Biography, Age, Education, Family and Career
Gidi Ogidi
The famed Radio presenter graduated from JKUAT with a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology. He then went to Strathmore for a Masters in Business Administration. He started out as a musician with one of his major hits being Unbwogable. He then worked for the United Nation before a chance meeting with Carol Radull encouraged him to pursue a career in media. He got a job hosting Patanisho alongside Ghost Mulee at Radio Jambo.
Daniel Ndambuki
Daniel Ndambuki is a Kenyan entertainer known as the brains behind the biggest mainstream media comedy show in Kenya. He has nurtured a number of talents and his is a face millions of Kenyans can recognize. He started out at the Kenya National Theatre before slowly rising to become a household name in the country. Apart from hosting the Churchill Show, he is also a morning radio show presenter alongside Maina Kageni.
