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Popular Milele Drive presenter Francis Luchivya is among Kenyans and foreigners in forced quarantine at the Pride Inn Azure Hotel in Nairobi as part of government measures to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Luchivya, who hosts the show alongside Jacqueline 'Wilbroda' Nyaminde spoke to Kenyans.co.ke on Sunday, April 5, on his experience in mandatory quarantine after it emerged that the Ministry of Health had ordered an extension of their stay for 14 more days.

The government had previously announced a 14-day mandatory quarantine for Kenyans arriving from abroad at specific hotels and government facilities at their own cost as part of measures to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Francis Luchivya (Right) pictured at Milele FM studios with Milele Drive co-host Jacqueline 'Wilbroda' Nyaminde in March 2020

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"It has been brought to my attention that some of those quarantined in the same facility have tested positive for Covid-19. This changes their status from quarantined from travel to contacts of positive Covid-19 patients," Director-General of Health Patrick Amoth then stated on Saturday, April 4, as he ordered for the extension, with Health CS Mutahi Kagwe claiming that some of those in mandatory quarantine had failed to observe physical distancing requirements.

Luchivya, who entered the 14th day of his quarantine on Sunday, March 5, revealed the confusion and lack of communication that has marred the government's response to the situation.

He further questioned how the government expected them to stay in quarantine for two more weeks, at their own cost, despite the state failing to adhere to timelines on testing of the patients.

"First of all, we haven't received any official communication on that extension so we don't know what that is about.

"Second, they were supposed to test us twice, after five days and fourteen days. Instead, we were tested for the first time after eight days. No one got their results individually, we just saw ambulances coming to pick up the two white people who tested positive.

"It's the fourteenth day today, we're supposed to be tested again so we can leave but there's no communication. None at all, the only communication we have is the hotline we were given to report symptoms if they develop," he revealed.

A letter from those in quarantine at the hotel had revealed that they were informed via a group Whatsapp forum that they had tested negative, even as they demanded individual result slips.

"Here, there is no interaction, the only place I can go is the swimming pool to get some sun or fresh air. There, the chairs have been spaced out. The hotel workers and support staff are also being quarantined here, they wear gloves, overalls and other protective gear.

"If you want breakfast, you call and say what you want. We don't leave our rooms. Remember, we are being held here at our own cost, that's around Ksh9,000 a night. Now, I haven't been working for the past fourteen days. If the government insists on extending this stay, then it has to be at their expense.

"Today is the 14th day. We want to be tested for the second time and be allowed to leave if we are negative and taken to Mbagathi if we are positive, but there is literally no communication. The communication has been very poor," he asserted.

On Saturday, April 4, Health CS Kagwe had addressed the need for the extension as he claimed that some of those in quarantine had been going on partying sprees, contrary to the prescribed measures.

“As I said, there are those who went on partying sprees in quarantine facilities. This is against every protocol that we have issued.

"But in a bid to further contain any further transmission arising from those in mandatory quarantine we have instructed our medical teams to extend quarantine period of those in facilities which we believe have got individuals who need another 14 days, given the fact that the contacts they have within the quarantine facilities have tested positive,” he had stated.

Luchivya, however, noted that they remained unaware if this was applicable to them as no such partying had been going on at the hotel, even as he admitted that he had heard of such reports from government facilities such as the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) where others are being held.

"We've heard that at government facilities like KMTC they are sleeping in cubes, some are partying but we don't know how this applies to us.

"That is why I'm saying this directive makes no sense. The communication has been very poor and we still don't know if this extension will affect us.

"First of all, it's day 14 today. They need to do the second test today or tomorrow (Monday, April 6) and let us leave if we are negative, because, surely, how can we stay for 14 more days at our own cost? " he posed.

Luchivya maintained that if the government was to extend their stay, it would have to be at their expense as they had complied with all directives for the originally prescribed 14-day period.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe (Left) and his Chief Administrative Secretary Mercy Mwangangi during a press briefing in March 2020.

File

President Uhuru Kenyatta's live TV celebration of two more recoveries of Covid-19, Brenda Cherotich and Brian Okinda, ignited a debate over the whereabouts of the first recovery.

Rumours on social media and WhatsApp chats were awash with speculation insinuating that the unidentified recovery had flown to the United Kingdom immediately after discharge from Mbagathi Hospital.

In an exclusive interview with Kenyans.co.ke, Government Spokesperson Cyrus Oguna confirmed that the first survivor, a woman, had been discharged after two tests turned out negative.

He further explained that her identity was concealed in honour of her wish only disclosing that she was a dual-citizen of Kenya and the United Kingdom.

Government Spokesman Cyrus Oguna (left), Acting Ministry of Health Director-General Patrick Amoth (centre) and Health CS Mutahi Kagwe (right) during a press conference at the ministry’s headquarters in Nairobi on March 30, 2020.

The Standard

"(The patient) did not want her identity published and we can't go against her wish. She was patient number three.

"Do you think the government can fly someone to the UK? I cannot speak for her but I know she was the first to be discharged because discharge depends on several factors, how somebody is responding to treatment and must test negative two different times," stated Oguna.

He further revealed that when a patient tested negative, she was ready to be released and the government was no longer aware of her whereabouts.

"She had dual nationality, UK and Kenya. I cannot tell how long she was under quarantine because I do have the data with me right now," he added.

Uhuru, on Wednesday, March 25, announced that the patient, who had tested positive for coronavirus disease (Covid-19), was the first to make a full recovery.

Since the announcement, speculation about her had circulated and only magnified by the subsequent recovery of Brenda and Brian.

When the two were discharged, they first held a video conference with the president that was live televised on Citizen TV before being allowed to leave.

They were asked to observe hygiene as well as the government directive to avoid reinfection.

Brenda Cherotich and Brian Orinda pictured on April 1, 2020 in Nairobi after their recoveries from Covid-19 were confirmed

Twitter

UPDATE Tuesday, May 5: Kenya's very own tech-guru Carol Kariuki, on Tuesday, May 5, announced the commencement of her new job at Facebook.

"Excited to be joining Facebook today. Grateful that my Software Engineering path & Community work with Developers has led me here. I'll be working with developers building on top of Facebook, Instagram, Oculus, Messenger & Instant Games. Super Stoked! Let's do this. Thank you Jesus!" she posted on Facebook.

Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, she went on to express her joy, "God sees the years of sacrifice. It took His hand," she stated.

A famous novelist once stated, 'Don't pretend to be what you're not, instead, pretend to be what you want to be, it is not pretence, it is a journey to self-realisation.'

This statement best captures Kenyan tech sensation Carol Kariuki, and her remarkable voyage to the very top of her industry.

In an exclusive interview with Kenyans.co.ke, the Facebook Developer Circles Community Nairobi Co-Lead and software developer opened up on her rise -which involved scholarships from both Microsoft and Google.

Software developer Carol Kariuki pictured outside the Facebook Headquarters in California, USA, on April 30, 2019.

File

"I have always had this immense spirit of curiosity. I would try out things just to find out what would happen. I would carry out experiments on my body. I remember being rushed to the hospital several times because I wanted to find out if beans would fit in my nostrils and how that would affect my breathing.

"My trait of wanting to find out why things worked as they led down the software engineering path, to create programs that would perform tasks and solve problems," she stated when asked how it all started.

A second-born to a pharmacist father and a fashion designer mother, Carol went on to join The Kenya High School, where her interest in the tech world was fueled by one of her earliest influencers - Mary Amisi Ncube, her then computer studies teacher.

"I took computer classes in high school as a major and my teacher was very instrumental in pushing our minds to think of the future of technology which was outside our classroom curriculum," she narrated.

On why she chose her specific career path, she confessed to being the kind of person who gets bored easily, making the ever-evolving field of software development a perfect fit for her.

After completing high school, the budding software engineering enthusiast enrolled for a course in mobile programming at the eMobilis Mobile Technology Academy, which was a pioneer in offering mobile programming using the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) curriculum. 

In just a few months, the eager student published her first application on the Nokia Applications Store.

Software Developer Carol Kariuki strikes a pose.

File

"I developed for the Symbian Platform and had numerous apps on the Nokia store. I got featured for my work in different publications and also earned scholarships from Microsoft and Google to advance my skills to Windows Phone Development and Android respectively," she revealed.

This launched her profile to stratospheric levels, and she soon found herself working as the country lead for Facebook Developer Circles Program.

The program focuses on bringing developers together to learn, collaborate, code together and build on the Facebook platform, but not limited to Facebook technologies.

"Out of my interaction with other developer communities, a friend of mine, who was the Nairobi Lead at the time, was looking for a team to help him run the community. I jumped right in because it was something I had always wanted to do," she explained.

This led to another remarkable milestone in her blossoming career, as she was soon whisked away for the full Facebook experience at its headquarters in Silicon Valley, US.

She was then handpicked alongside 40 other community leaders, creators, developers, and entrepreneurs from across Sub-Saharan Africa invited to attend the Facebook Icons of Change event in Accra Ghana in August 2019, where she was selected as the Most Inspiring Female Lead.

The tech whiz who first came across a computer when she was a 10-year-old is now championing a cause to push more women into the male-dominated field.

”My dream is to a see a future where there'll be no female programmers, there will be just programmers," she stated, invoking the famous Sheryl Sanberg quote.

Watch Carol during an interview held at Facebook headquarters in the US below:

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An avid reader, Carol draws inspiration from multiple sources, but she quoted her high school friend and mentor Lorna Ogolla, when asked to single out the most inspirational quote.

"She was about to do her last exam and I wanted something to live by. I expected a deep quote, but all she said. was 'God Always'. It was simple, yet so profound," she explained.

Lorna went on to win a scholarship at the prestigious MIT in the US, later on landing another scholarship to join Stanford University, and currently works for Google in California.

Uknown to most, Carol who is also the lead software developer at VituMob in Nairobi (a web-based company that developed software to help Kenyans shop from stores in the US and the UK from the comfort of their homes or office), is also a singer.

"I took commercial projects with Kubamba Krew (KKrew) where we did a song with various artists such as Kambua, Mercy Masika, Kelele Takatifu amongst others. I also got to do voice-overs for Kkrew that aired on Citizen TV. Music is something I'll always love," she revealed.

Carol recently enrolled for a course in Data Science, a path she went on to reveal was next on her remarkable journey.

"Going forward in my career, I want to transition into Data Science related roles," she stated.

The tech whizz also stated that she was driven by her incessant need to give back to the community and champion for the participation of women in the tech world.

"I have seen the number of women in my community rise as a result of creating programs and events that focus on women, hence giving them a platform to showcase their skills and have their voices heard," she remarked

Software Developer Carol Kariuki pictured during a wedding in Nairobi on December 13, 2019.

File

While Government is putting in place strict measures to curb the spread of the Coronavirus, a section of Kenyans are flaunting the rules, risking the lives of thousands.

Reports reaching Kenyans.co.ke disclosed that matatu operators living in rural areas are still going against directives set by the government.

A spot check by our newsdesk observed that 14-seater vehicles plying the Kisumu-Usenge route flaunted the rule. 

A tout stands at a matatu door armed with a hand sanitiser, sterile gloves and a mask.

Twitter

At police check spots, the drivers issued Ksh 100 notes to the officers and got away with disobeying the government's orders.

"They carry excess passengers, sometimes more than the official limit of 14, there is no social distancing," sources told our newsdesk.

Normal fares applied for this set of rogue matatus as they continued to ferry passengers well in excess of the stipulated limit required to maintain the social distancing directive.

On Friday, March 21, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe directed 14-seater matatus to carry a maximum of 8 passengers, 25-seaters to carry 15, buses whose sitting capacity is 30 and above to have no more than 60 percent occupancy.

In addition, the matatus are yet to provide sanitisers or hand-washing stations for their customers.

The president, in his address to the nation on Sunday, March 15, identified the public transport sector as one of the conduits in which the virus could spread, given the number of people using it on a daily basis.

One of the directives he thus issued out was that public service vehicles (PSVs) should provide hand sanitizers to their customers and adopt cashless payment systems to combat the possible spread of the deadly virus.

Matatus in Nairobi city have since followed the rules with most of them having erected hand-washing stations and put in place hand sanitizers.

NTSA officials accompanied by police inspect a matatu in Nairobi in December 2019

K24 Digital

Renowned criminal lawyer Cliff Ombeta on Wednesday, March 25 accused the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) of covering up the execution of Wycliff Vincent Oduor.

Oduor, alleged to be the brains behind the Ksh72 million ATM bank heist in Nairobi West in 2019, was gunned down by DCI officers on Tuesday, March 24 at Kayole Junction in Nairobi.

The DCI had claimed that Oduor was part of a 3-man gang tied to various robberies, with the gang alleged to have engaged the police in a shoot-out that left Oduor dead as the other two individuals escaped on motorbikes. 

Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke on Thursday, March 26, however, Ombeta broke down why he believes the police report is a complete fabrication, maintaining that his client was murdered in cold blood by the DCI.

Criminal Lawyer Cliff Ombeta at Sarova Stanley Hotel on Monday, November 17, 2019

Photo

Cliff Ombeta

"Oduor is my client, I have been representing him in the Ksh72m case. Recently he was trying to follow up on his impounded Subaru," the lawyer disclosed.

Ombeta alleged that in recent weeks, Oduor had been receiving odd phone calls from individuals who promised to help him with his case if he offered them some amount of money.

He claimed that on the fateful day, Oduor was lured from his home by a phone call from a woman, who called him advising him to immediately meet up to help him find a way out of his troubles.

Ombeta further maintained that reports of Oduor being a robber around Kayole Junction and engaging police in a shoot-out were false and created by the DCI to justify his killing.

"There was a person calling him, claiming to be able to help him with the case if he parted with some money. They were also threatening him with what would happen if he failed to comply. At times he would be called even past midnight and asked to leave the house but initially he did not.

"On that day he had just had lunch with his wife in the evening when he received a call from a woman asking him to meet, telling him she could help him with his situation. One and a half-hours later, his body was at City Mortuary.

"Surely, are you telling me that he left his home, went and robbed people, engaged police in a shoot-out and was dead all within an hour?

"If indeed he robbed these people, who complained? Where was the report filed, which officer recorded it? Why didn't members of the public hear about a shoot-out or a robbery?  If it was a shoot-out, how then did the bullet enter his body at such close range? I have established that the police cannot answer any of these questions, this was simply an execution," he asserted.

He revealed that Oduor had planned to share new information with him at a scheduled meeting before his client was killed.

Ombeta challenged the DCI to reveal any reported incidences of robberies or muggings around the area blamed on Oduor. The lawyer further vowed to pursue the matter to its full conclusion.

"This one, I am not letting go. This is my client, they killed him. There was no shoot-out, no 3-man gang, nothing. He was simply lured and killed.

"I will pursue this matter to the end. I'm looking into private prosecution," he stated.

Ombeta explained that he was considering private prosecution as he considered the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) as currently constituted 'a toothless dog'.

He stated that it was time for lawyers to take a stand against extra-judicial killings, observing a trend by police to cover up executions by accusing the slain individuals of engaging in non-existent robberies and shoot-outs.

"It's been happening because we've been quiet. It's time to take a stand. When the civil society raises these issues of extra-judicial killings in Nairobi and Mombasa, we are always on the sidelines," he stated.

The DCI was yet to respond to queries made by Kenyans.co.ke on Ombeta's allegations by the time of publication.

"Armed with pistols and riding on a motorbike, the three started robbing members of the public at the said location, a scene which attracted the attention of a team of Kayole detectives on patrol.

"The gang defied orders to surrender, engaging the officers in a gunfire exchange which left the said suspect down. The other two escaped on the motorbike but are being pursued. A Pistol and a kitchen knife were recovered from the slain suspect," the DCI statement read in part.

Oduor had been charged in connection with a bank robbery that took place on September 5, 2019, with the robbers allegedly posing as police officers.

It was alleged that the impostors stole the money from G4S personnel and an ATM belonging to Standard Chartered Bank in Nairobi West.

A photo of Wycliffe Vincent Oduor, accused of orchestrating the Ksh72 million Nairobi West Bank Heist with bundles of money.

DCI

The government has made clear its position on Kenyan nationals currently in other countries stating that it will not evacuate them.

The pronouncement follows Health CS Mutahi Kagwe's Sunday directive that Kenya would officially bar all international passenger flights on Wednesday, March 25.

This would allow foreign nationals wishing to exit the country a three-day window to leave while similarly allowing Kenyans outside the nation to return.

Edit media

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) International Arrival Terminal. Thursday, February 14, 2020.

Simon Kiragu

Kenyans.co.ke

Kenyans.co.ke spoke to Government Spokesman Cyrus Oguna who clarified what the directive means for Kenyans wishing to return from countries that have already closed their borders or are on lockdown.

These include Rwanda which announced a two-week lockdown on Saturday, March 22 as well as Uganda which effected the closure of its borders on Sunday, March 23.

This effectively means that Kenyans in those countries can not leave, and will miss out on their government's window of return.

Oguna clarified that the government has no intention of evacuating any Kenyan nationals who find themselves stranded in a foreign country.

"We will not send a vehicle or an aeroplane to evacuate our nationals wherever they are," Oguna stated.

He noted that it was in a country's power to decide to evacuate its citizens but the Kenyan policy is not aligned to evacuation. Kenyans in foreign nations, therefore, have no alternative but to quarantine where they are based.

"The policy is that they will quarantine wherever they are obeying the laws and regulations enforced in that country as far as Covid-19 is concerned," stated Oguna.

He further clarified that it was an individual's onus to find their way back to the country within the set-out period, after which they would not be allowed to return.

"Any Kenyan wherever they are who is coming back must come back by Wednesday midnight," reiterated the spokesperson.

"If they cannot come back within that period then they should remain wherever they are and obey those country's regulations," he added.

Oguna explained that it was an elected responsibility of each country to decide whether or not to evacuate its citizens.

Medics conduct public health emergency drill at JKIA on October 19, 2016

Twitter

"If we say no one going out or coming in then it is the responsibility of those countries to pick their citizens if they want to," noted Oguna.

He reiterated that Kenya has no plans to take up such action and those who find themselves in other countries where the closure of borders had taken effect should make do where they were.

"We are not contemplating evacuating our citizens," Oguna finalized, qualifying however that, "It depends on the situation. But as of now, for Kenyans who are in Uganda and Uganda has these restrictions across the border, we will not evacuate them. It's only for a while anyway they can stay there."

"When they closed my door, God opened a gate for me," shared former K24 TV anchor Ahmed Bhalo while celebrating his new position barely four months after being fired unceremoniously in October 2019. 

Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke on Wednesday, March 4, former anchor Ahmed Bhalo was in high spirits while disclosing that he had landed a managerial job at Alpha Aviation College, located at the Wilson Airport in Nairobi - a career development he was proud of.

He further disclosed that his mandate included overseeing the branding of the company with his eyes set on elevating the institution's image.

Former K24 TV Anchor Ahmed Bhalo poses in front of Alpha Aviation building at Wilson on Tuesday, March 4, 2020.

Instagram

"The school is called Alpha Aviation. Right now I'm just doing auditing of their branding. I am helping to develop their marketing.

"I have started working on Monday and the job is flexible. I can report at any time or even work from home as long as the job is done," he revealed.

"In my short tenure at the company, I have observed issues like the logo which I will ensure is enhanced as well as enforce the company's brand colours usage," he continued.

While remaining tight-lipped about his pay package, the soft-spoken anchor stated that his new job was much more enjoyable compared to his previous assignement in the fast-paced news environment.

"My biggest job is to create brand awareness to get it out there to increase students intake. Here, the working environment is conducive and I am so happy about it. 

"It is the third day since I started this job and I expect to accomplish a lot," he added.

Bhalo was among 160 Mediamax employees who received termination letters, a month after the Kijabe Street-based media company gave notice of mass firings. 

The lay off involved some of the institution's highly salaried workers as well as all editors and senior news reporters

They included News Anchor Mwanaisha Chidzuga, Managing Editor, Swahili Franklin Wambugu, Deputy Managing Editor Ali Mtenzi, Head of sports Torome Tirike, Tony Timase Head of Business and Senior Reporter Frankilin Macharia.

Chidzuga, who has since launched her own show on YouTube stated in a past interview with Kenyans.co.ke that the joob loss enabled her to fully concentrate on her hospitality businesses.

Former K24 TV News Anchor Mwanaisha Chidzuga at the station's studios along Kijabe Street, Nairobi.

Twitter

Tina Njambi Wamwati is an outstanding actress judging from how she evokes emotion from her fans when playing the role of Lona - a nosy househelp in epic Citizen TV's drama series Maria. 

In the popular series, Wamwati's character Lona captures the attention of audiences with harsh responses and the fact that she just can't mind her business. 

On Tuesday, February 11, the 40-year-old spoke exclusively with Kenyans.co.ke and detailed how fans react to her role, what her real life was like and how she landed the opportunity to grace one of the best drama series in Kenya. 

Who is Tina Wamwati and how did you land the Lona role?

Tina is a devoted Christian who loves to inspire others, especially young people. I love speaking into their lives. I also pray a lot and I am so dedicated to whatever I do. 

My journey to the show was honestly a miracle. I didn't know there were auditions. I acted before in Wash and Fate in a leading role as Jacky. After that show, I went behind the scenes in 2016 and put the film industry on hold as I focused on growing my business. However, fans demanded that I should make a comeback, they would even inbox me.  

I didn't study film but I had a passion since I was young. I kept asking God to restore my career and in December 2018, after my pastor pushed us to get out of our comfort zone, I went on to audition for lots of shows. I tried a lot but none came into my fruition. In 2019, I told God I am ready and when auditions were held for Maria Series, I tried my hand as they were looking for Madam Liki's role. 

I landed it but after shooting the pilot, people thought I was too young for the role. For me, it was bittersweet and that's how I got the Lona role. I love entrepreneurship but when acting, I am in my element and that ticks.

How do you juggle between Lona the nosy househelp and Wamwati the devoted Christian?

(Laughs) It's interesting. Recently, one of my colleagues wondered how do I sleep after portraying that role. I don't know how I do, but when I get on set, I wear Lona's face. It was challenging at first but even my younger sister who is my number one fan, could not believe how I managed. She also laughed upon seeing me on screen. 

I don't respond well when insulted as per the script and I am also amazed by myself on how I can do that. In the show, we have embraced our roles and we even laugh at each other. No one takes my role personally. 

As actors and actresses, that is what it's all about. We have to research and ask each other what we can improve. For me, I also started watching films that have roles relating to mine. 

Do you ever receive feedback from the fans on how they've embraced what you portray? 

Yes. A lot of times. In fact, many people out there literally believe I am evil. At times they inbox me calling me a bad woman. However, I understand its all about the show. This has pushed me higher and I have embraced it. 

We also have the best team in terms of professionals, from the crew to the cast. We encourage each other and have bonded since the first day. We have a slogan dubbed one love which we use to uplift each other.

On the fans, what can you say about them, considering that their love for the show in unending?

It's overwhelming how the fans love us and the show. At first, we were scared as they thought it was boring, we also thought it was boring, and it was a wrong move. 

However, the turnaround in the following weeks made us realise the show was bigger than us.  The fans turned the pressure around making us better and better.

We need to be at a level where we are excellent and give Kenyans the best of what they want. For me, I am so grateful to God and I have seen his hand. I love Maria fans as they keep us on our toes.

Your colleague Luwi (Brian Ogana) won an award recently, winning Best Actor of the Year during the Talent-Preneur Awards Gala 2020 at the Nairobi Film Center. What can you say about him? And Maria (Yasmin Said) too, isn't she a great actress?

"On Luwi, I am so excited about him. He is a brilliant actor. I loved it when he dedicated the award to the team. It was so touching when he recognised everyone's efforts. 

On Maria, I keep telling her that she is destined for greatness. She can be mentored to be like Lupita Nyong'o. Her parents should strive to see her succeed as she's Kenya's next big star. 

Citizen TV power couple Lulu Hassan and Rashid Abdalla are changing the film industry as witnessed through this series. What about the duo stands out?

They are my mentors by force. I am learning from them as they build a film empire. Their work ethic is so honest and admirable. I look at them, honour them and thank them for such an opportunity and for also getting mentorship for free.

They are giants in this industry and I am blessed to be under them. At work, they are always concerned about everyone. I wonder how they manage to care for all of us.

Are you married and do you have kids?

(Laughs) No am not married and I don't have biological children. I take care of two kids who I call my own. They are my late sister's children.  She passed away when they were young. They have grown up but I still refer to them as kids.

Do you have any side hustles? When we started the interview you stated that you had a passion for entrepreneurship.

"I have a company that deals with baking ingredients for hotel and companies. It's called Bakes And Packaging. I also do Ankara (African fabric) as a side hustle and many other things in the business sector.

Lastly. You spend most of the time in the kitchen as Lona. What's your favourite meal?

(Laughs uncontrollably) I am a true Kikuyu woman obsessed with potatoes. Whether be it fried, boiled, baked or roasted. I love junk food. Though I am a good cook, I don't love cooking at all.

Patanisho is, by all accounts, one of the most popular segments on radio in Kenya.

The segment airs during the morning show on Radio Jambo and is hosted by musician-turned-journalist Gidi Gidi and former Harambee Stars coach Jacob 'Ghost' Mulee.

Listeners whose romantic relationships are on the rocks call into the show seeking to be reconciled with their lovers, after which Gidi and Ghost serving as mediators. With its numerous loyal listeners across the country, Patanisho often sparks heated debates among Kenyans, both on social media and offline.

Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke on Wednesday, February 5, Gidi Gidi disclosed how the segment grew to become a phenomenon of its own in regards to contemporary Kenyan culture.

Gidi intimated that he conceived an idea for the show a decade ago, stating it was his desire to bring something new to the Kenyan radio scene.

"It was my idea. I create all the content for the show (Gidi na Ghost Asubuhi) so it was my idea. We've been doing it for ten years now," he shared.

The media personality explained that he wanted the segment to be family-friendly and different from those popularized by other stations in the country.

"I wanted to come up with something unique and something that's also family-friendly.

"It was an idea that has never been tried on the radio in Kenya, so it was unique," Gidi recalled.

With the shocking, sometimes downright hilarious stories callers told on the segment and heated on-air arguments between partners, Patanisho proved an instant hit.

Gidi revealed that while they expected the segment to eventually become popular, they did not expect it to instantly gain traction as it did, because it was a relatively new concept.

"We knew it was going to be a hot thing but we didn't think it would hit so quickly," he explained.

Patanisho has spawned several parodies and internet memes sparked by various on-air fights and reconciliations over the years.

In ten years of hosting the segment, Gidi and Ghost have helped hundreds of couples work through all sorts of relationship issues including infidelity and more trivial matters like complaints about the quality of a partner's cooking.

Most importantly, Patanisho continues to put smiles on Kenyans' faces with hilarious, authentic entertainment.

K24 TV anchor Betty Kyallo is undoubtedly one of the most followed anchors in the country with the signature bulletin Weekend with Betty and the and interview segment that airs every Friday evening. 

With time, Betty has grown in reverence, having earlier worked at KTN News hosting the Friday Briefing and later moved to K24 TV in September 2018.

However, little is known about Sarah Mwangi who has been Betty’s producer for the last four years, playing a major role in the anchor’s media career.

Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, Sarah explained how she got the opportunity to work with Betty, which turned to become a close friendship between the two.

“I started working together with Betty while at KTN. Eddie Kavai and I were the two producers between Friday and Monday and one had to produce for the Friday edition while the other worked for Checkpoint.

“Kibisu Mulanda who was my boss by then requested me to take up the Friday edition that was being hosted by Betty. That meant I work on Friday and Saturday,” remarked Sarah.

The two journalists grew closer together and worked on major projects that saw Friday Briefing attract a wide viewership.

“We worked together and developed proper synchronisation. We did much outside broadcast in various regions in the country. We simply started as colleagues, then became friends,” remarked Sarah. 

In 2018 when K24 TV approached Betty for a prospective Weekend with Betty show, Sarah became part of the new plan since she was the producer who understood Betty well and had been able to create a brand out of the content they worked on together. 

“It has been fun working together because we are friends and have a similar way of thinking. I know a good guest when I see one and she knows how to bring the best out of the guest,” Sarah intimated. 

.Their friendship also extends to their personal lives and help each other out when the need arises.

“At times we may have some differences between us but we always agree on how to solve them. We always come out for each other any time that any of us is in a fix and needs help. I also know that Betty loves her daughter Ivanna so much,” stated Sarah.

Despite instances where Betty has been the subject of negative publicity, her producer indicated that the news anchor has always been able to move.

“Betty is an amazing friend to have. She is not what people put out there. The good thing is that she always gets a way of pushing on for a charming show despite the unfortunate incidents.

“I always like what we do especially on the Upclose segment. It has always been an amazing program that has already attracted more than 20 million views since the day we started, Sarah lauded. 

The Upclose segment has aired episodes that focused on human interest stories, entertainment pieces and also celebrated personalities and leaders in the country.