Traditional media is gradually losing its lustre thanks to social media platforms. Revenues continue to dip as radio is overtaken by podcast, TV by YouTube, Tik Tok and newspapers are competing with bloggers, Facebook and Twitter.
With this onslaught, media companies are laying off journalists while others go for months without pay.
At the same time, some companies proposed ridiculous pay cuts, a move that saw some journalists quit their jobs.
WoK looks at journalists who were fired from their previous jobs and made a name for themselves elsewhere-there are those who were kicked out of their jobs due to misunderstandings with the management.
Jalang’o
Lang’ata MP Phelix Odiwuor, alias Jalang’o’s exit from Mediamax-owned radio station, Milele FM, was marred by controversies.
The media personality-cum-politician left Milele FM unceremoniously due to a contract dispute pitting him and the management.
Jalang’o left the radio station after Mediamax proposed a 50 percent pay cut after an initial 30 percent pay cut.
“I was not at work because we did not agree on a lot of things and terms and even as we speak my HR had me on hold still discussing terms of employment. Unfortunately, we didn’t agree,” he wrote on Instagram.
He joined Kiss FM barely a month later where he worked until he resigned to contest for the Lang’ata parliamentary seat.
Jalang’o was declared winner of the Lang’ata parliamentary seat on August 11, 2022 after garnering 38,948 votes, beating the incumbent MP Nixon Korir, who polled 36,836 votes.
Andrew Kibe
Andrew Kibe was fired from Radio Africa Group-owned radio station, Kiss FM almost the same time Jalang’o was fired from Milele FM.
Interestingly, Jalang’o was announced as Kibe’s replacement at Kiss FM days later eliciting mixed reactions online.
Allegations of Kibe being fired to accommodate Jalang’o sparked reactions forcing the former to issue a statement.
“Andrew Kibe who is a very close friend of mine, has resigned. How I am trending is because I caused Andrew’s firing. So sad,” said Jalang’o.
After months in the cold, Kibe relocated to the United States and started a podcast which he hosts on his TikTok, Instagram and YouTube channel.
He also does YouTube Shorts and Instagram reels.
Kibe commands a followership of 377,000 and 259,000 followers on Twitter and Instagram respectively and 348,000 subscribers on YouTube.
Shaffie Weru
Shaffie Weru was fired from Homeboyz Radio over gross misconduct caused by alleged Gender-based violence utterances on air.
Shaffie and his colleagues were slammed after they victim-shamed a lady who was thrown off the 12th floor of Ambank House by a man she met on Facebook.
While discussing the same, the three said how ladies are ‘loose’ and too available for strangers.
Shaffie later addressed the layoff saying it was much more than the presenters’ comments on air but his presence at the station.
“The reason I was fired you need to understand was never about the tweets or the people, it was about the companies that were spending money on me because I was a very big presenter
“Their customers were the ones attacking me, so they also started attacking the companies,” he said.
A month after his dismissal from his job at Homeboyz Radio, Shaffie landed a new job as the manager of Roya Group of companies which deals in real estate, motor vehicle sale, investment and entertainment among others.
He also runs a YouTube channel where he recently premiered a show dubbed, Shafted With Shaffie Weru.
DJ Joe Mfalme
DJ Joe Mfalme was fired alongside Shaffie Weru from Homeboyz Radio for the comments they made about the woman who was thrown off the building.
Following his sacking, he maintained that they were victims of the ‘cancel culture’ and believes they should have been let off with a warning.
“Look, I don’t want to go back to that. I am a guy who hates drama, but that was just it. I mean, in the corporate world, where did you see someone getting fired for the first mistake?
“If whatever we did was wrong in their view, at least a warning should have been issued first. You live in this country. We have seen worse scenarios with no action taken,” DJ Mfalme said.
Despite the sacking, the former Capital FM resident DJ continued with his job at Multichoice’s Maisha Magic East and doing shows in different nightclubs.
Erick Njoka
Eric Njoka left K24 TV in June 2020 after a 7-year stint; having joined the media house in 2013 from KTN.
In a statement on his social media platforms, Njoka thanked his fans and the management for the opportunity of serving the station.
“I did my part, I played my role with poise and dignity, and I’m proud of it. My 7-year journey K24 TV has ended, now #Anchorman is ready to take over the world. Focus Onwards, look inwards. Viva,” he wrote.
In March 2021, Njoka joined India’s Zee Media Corporation Limited-owned TV station Wion TV where he serves as a news anchor.
Jeff Koinange
In May 2008, Jeff Koinange was fired from CNN where he had worked as a reporter for six years over alleged sexual abuse and bribery.
There were also claims that Koinange was involved in a romantic relationship with Marianne Briner, an author, whom she had promised publicity through CNN for a book she was writing about corruptįon in Kenya.
She had co-authored a book over alleged corruption and murder among Kenya’s political elite.
Following his sacking, the journalist later worked for CGTN and made a name for himself while working for KTN where he introduced his popular talkshow, JK Live.
