NTV Swahili News Anchor Lofty Matambo is over the moon after graduating with a First Class Honours, ending his 14-year arduous journey.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke on Tusday, November 24, the News anchor revealed that he graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Communications in Public Relations from St. Paul's University.
He narrated that his journey, however, been a rough one that began with him pursuing a diploma course, which he did not like.
After clearing High School with B(plain) mean score in his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) in 2003, Matambo enrolled at Kabete Technical Polytechnic.
At the time, the Lofty Mrima Matambo had expected to graduate alongside his peers in 2007.
"When I joined Kabete Technical Polytechnic to study Diploma in Medical Lab, I didn't like the course, mostly my family members are the ones who wanted me to do the course.
"That's is why when I finished I looked for jobs, I worked in the hospitals for about two and a half years but then I did not find the satisfaction that I wanted. From the word go, I knew I wanted to be a communicator, mostly a journalist," he stated.
He added that he had to do a number of offshoot jobs in an attempt to raise school fees to pursue a communications related career.
Initially, he applied for an admission at Kenya Institute of Mass Communication (KIMC) but could not proceed with his studies due to lack of school fees.
"After working, I left and (did other jobs) but I decided to go for what I want. I looked for money in the 14 years and I applied at the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication (KIMC) to study production but I lacked school fees. I have been struggling for all those years. I should have graduated 14 years ago," he added.
Matambo also revealed that after securing a job at a hospital, he employed his Diploma in Medical Lab Technology to acquire skills in communication and production.
His colleagues were impressed and nudged him to apply for positions in the media industry where his skills would be more useful.
He was, however, reluctant to join the industry due to what he termed as feeling "undeservedly too much favoured."
"Four years a go I paused all my other projects and embarked on a journey that has made me proud of myself. A journey to boost my confidence, esteem and readiness to face and stand the world of communication with legit legs. Immediately I was done, even before the ceremony, overwhelmingly new doors and opportunities came knocking from January this year.
"Today, ladies and gentlemen , 14 years since my peers celebrated their graduation, I celebrate this 1st Class Honours as an absolute honour to my God who has made it possible," he celebrated.
Matambo's entry into the media industry was a rather dramatic one. In an interview in August 2020, he noted that he left a patient in a hospital for an opportunity to be in the media.
One day as he was attending to a patient who needed testing, he heard an announcement on Hope FM and decided to go for it.
He later worked as a KTN News Anchor before moving to NTV. He graduated at an event held at the university on Friday, November 19.
