After losing its best presenters to rival stations, Radio Maisha has settled on Billy Miya and Mwalimu Mbaruk to captain their breakfast show.
Billy’s tough task ahead is fitting into the gap left at the station given Alex Mwakideu's eight years of not just fun, but good command of Swahili radio content.
He carries a powerful voice and hopes his authoritative tone and mastery of the Swahili language would fit into the high expectations of the job.
[caption caption="Billy Miya and Mwalimu Mbaruk at Radio Maisha(PHOTO/COURTESY)"]
[/caption]
Prior to joining Radio Maisha, Billy together with his co-host had been at Milele FM.
The pair were presenters at the Media Max-owned station running Milele Breakfast show where they worked for only two months.
“I am bringing fresh talent. A voice that has not been recycled on air. It has not happened anywhere else, and I intend to make sure I deliver content that anyone would want to listen to,” says Billy in an interview with Kenyans.co.ke.
Mbaruk and Billy are all trained as journalists and it’ll be interesting to see whether they’ll outdo the comedian-dominated breakfast radio programs.
“It is not going to be usual radio talk. When someone listens to my program and they are probably depressed or are single, they get a partner in the morning. It is not just a breakfast show, it is an experience,” asserts Billy.
The duo has been working as a pair on radio airwaves for the last one year.
Coast region’s Baraka FM paired them up for a program that saw them grow into not just workmates but close friends and they have all along moved together.
Si niende hivi nacome... pic.twitter.com/ZDfC7qaXvb
— Billy Miya (@BillyMiya) July 26, 2018
Billy admits: ”Working at Radio Maisha is a good opportunity and I am going for big shoes. The program was at its peak when its presenters were leaving but I always wanted to be in such a role where there is professionalism and one is well taken care of.”
He studied journalism at Mombasa Polytechnic whereas Mbaruk trained at the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication.
Billy had his voice going on air for the first time when working as an intern at Pwani FM, running a 4-7 pm show called Tafrija Kipwani.
In his close to seven years at the coast, he bagged awards as the best male presenter in the region as he positioned himself for career growth.
During weekends, Billy flies to the coast to spend time with his family on a day out to swim at times in Malindi.
“For radio journalism, at times one could feel like they chose the wrong career. A lot of employers don’t take care of the journalists well. But when one is persistent and prayerful, God makes a way,” concludes Billy.
[caption caption="Mwalimu Mbaruk with Billy Miya at Radio Maisha (PHOTO/COURTESY)"]
[/caption]
After Mwakideu left, Standard Group dropped comedian Captain Otoyo, who was the Maisha Asubuhi co-host, citing disciplinary action.
In 2017, the station lost Jalang’o to Hot 96 where he worked for close to one-and-a-half years before leaving in June to reunite with Mwakideu at Milele FM.
While Billy and Mbaruk will be seeking to retain the top-spot, Mwakideu and Jalango have already rolled out a digital campaign to tag their fan base along to their new destination.
