In 2020, on the occasion of actor and media personality Tony Msalame’s 10th anniversary since his demise which usually falls on May 28, some of his friends in Nairobi sent out an appeal for short tributes and messages of goodwill honoring the late broadcasting icon. A compassionate social platform known as “SAFIRI SALAMA” previously set up by Tony’s friends, was availed for the occasion.
For their part, Voi City Entertainment and Sports (“VoiCES”) interviewed veteran broadcaster Geoffrey Mwavizo Mchawia towards the memorial project. Unfortunately, however Geoffrey Mwavizo would later pass on in January, this year but, before his reminisces could be published. Here below are excerpts of the said unpublished interview.
The late Mwavizo officially joined the Voice of Kenya (VoK) in 1975 as a trainee radio broadcaster. Initially, he joined the Kenya Institute of Mass Communications (KIMC) 1976 for a brief stint. He left the Institute later the same year, where after, he joined the University of Nairobi in 1977, to pursue studies in Mass Communications.
The KIMC was a training School for the Broadcasting Ministry, having been established in 1961. It was then known as the Voice of Kenya Training School whose main purpose was to train electronic engineers and technicians for the Kenya Broadcasting Service (KBS), which was later rebranded in 1962 to the “Kenya Broadcasting Corporation”, (KBC). The latter was nationalized in 1964, and changed its brand name to Voice of Kenya (VOK).
Says Mwavizo “ I was trained in Radio Program production. Other categories of Training Courses were, Radio Broadcasting and Television Broadcasting”
Job Isaac Mamto
He adds “As a Trainee Broadcaster at KBC, I found the late Job Isaac Mwamto doing Programs like “Porojo”, “Jee, Wajua” and “Kusini Mwa Afrika”. Besides these programs, however, the late Job Isaac Mwamto handled also Continuity Studios, as a Disc Jockey.
Geoffrey Mwavizo recalls being interviewed as a possible aid to the late Mwamto, but, before the latter’s demise.
“I was tested alongside Eddie Fondo at KBC, to see who could do best the program “Jee, Wajua”. Leonard Mambo Mbotela, Rashid Khamis and, Benson Murigu examined us. The latter was then Head of Radio Programs. I emerged as the best in “Jee, Wajua” Program. Thereafter, I ended up doing the Program, as I assisted the late Job Isaac Mwamto. Eventually, I ended up taking over and managing “Jee, Wajua” program” after the late Job Isaac Mwamto had passed on, in September 1979. However, no one was fully able to emulate and replace the late Job Mwamto in his other Programs, “Porojo”, or “Kusini Mwa Afrika” the way the late Job Isaac Mwamto did.
According to Geoffrey Mwavizo, Job Isaac Mwamto was very popular. His many fans beyond the Kenyan borders included none other than the late Founding President Jomo Kenyatta. He recalled that at one time, when the late Job Mwamto had been suspended from the Voice of Kenya apparently due to indiscipline, the latter conspicuously went missing from his Friday broadcasts. The late President Kenyatta himself spoke to then Permanent Secretary of the Broadcasting Ministry Darius Mbela who caused the late Job Mwamto to be recalled back to duty. “He was really popular!”, adds Mwavizo. The Minister for Broadcasting was Daniel Mutinda at the time.
When Job Mwamto passed on, only the “Jee, Wajua” program continued, with Geoffrey Mwavizo at the helm. After Geoffrey had done this for three years, he left the Program to Richard Wafula and John Muguchu, who were radio Broadcasters.
Mwavizo described the late Job Isaac Mwamto as a Team player. “We were young broadcasters. He motivated us. He was friendly and welcoming, when other veteran broadcasters didn’t appear to like newly recruited staff. They were hostile to those of us with higher English language stills!” says Mwavizo as he laughed.
Tony Msalame:
Tony Msalame was an actor. As broadcasters used to flock together, they usually congregated at the Kenya National Theatre. Some had good voices which were needed in advertising. Tony Msalame, then an employee of Ogilvy & Mather, did a lot of Advertising. He mingled freely with the broadcasters at the National Theatre, as he did stints with the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation. He was known fondly as a friend of KBC where he ran a music program “Sheki Legi”. He was a good talent scout and a good motivator, too. And he paid well. “We cannot forget him. It was not an accident that he later set up his own FM Station in Mombasa ‘Sheki FM’”, quips Mwavizo.
According to Mwavizo, a lot of Stations had no commercials. Why? Because of lack of marketing strategies, lack of marketing talents, especially religious or Gospel Stations which lacked professional marketers and artistes who can be identified as well-trained media people.
Says Mwavizo, “Tony was a blessed man. He knew how and where to get products and services to advertise. He was also good in drama, presentation and, broadcasting as well. Both radio and television. He was a man of all seasons. He had excellent PR. He was a friendly man. He was really good!”
Other Production Houses then included Andrew Crawford Productions. Julius Babu Mwachofi was with Andrew Crawford Productions. He too scoured for talents at the National Theatre and elsewhere. All roads however would meet at the National Theatre.
Duncan Mwanyumba
Voi City, Friday September 15, 2023.
Duncan Mwanyumba is a Senior Counsel/Advocate of the High Court of Kenya based in Voi City; a founder member of the Rotary Club of Voi and a cultural practitioner in his own right. He is the founder of Voi City Entertainment and Sports (VoiCES) and the annual Malaika Festival
