Broadcast journalists especially those on television are always sharp and well-groomed, creating the perception that they come from well-off backgrounds and had an easy way to the top.
However, while some may have had it that way, there are some who toiled and faced tremendous challenges before landing on our television screens.
One such journalist is Walter Nyambaga; a reporter at Ramogi TV under the Royal Media Services company.
Early Life
Speaking during a recent interview with Hot 96 FM, Nyambaga detailed his journey to being a reporter, noting that it was anything but a bed of roses.
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He grew up in Koweru village Migori County. Nyambaga was brought up in a humble family background with his father being a roof thatcher.
Due to financial constraints, his father was unable to finance his post-secondary education. He, therefore, opted to seek casual jobs as a way of surviving.
First Job
His first job offer was as a shop attendant in Nairobi. However, his dad opposed the move, arguing that Nairobi is a tough city to maneuver especially if one doesn’t have a good job.
Walter’s grandmother, however, sided with him and have him Sh400 which he topped up and used as his fare to Nairobi, where he took up the shop attendant job.
File image of Walter Nyambaga and a colleague at Ramogi TV. [Photo: Courtesy]
“After one month, I received my first salary Sh6,000. I was being paid Sh200 per day,” he said.
His plan was to spend his first salary on his girlfriend, but he was unfortunately defrauded by an associate who instead of delivering the money, decided to use it as fare to Tanzania.
While serving as a shop attendant, he stayed with his employer. Unfortunately, one day he missed instructions and messed up with the microwave. This coupled with other adaptation inconveniences he’s made, led to his dismissal from work and being kicked out of the home.
Homeless and Getting Second Job
Being homeless, Walter opted to join the street kids along Jogoo Road where he stayed for two weeks before moving in with a cousin of his.
While staying with his cousin, he came across a job advert and eventually got a job as a hawker for a company that dealt with utensils and other kitchenware.
“We used to dress smart, put on a tie, white shirt you have a bag, somebody may think the bag has some documents, but inside you’ve got plates, spoons, and everything,” he told Jeff Koinange and Nick Odhiambo.
The job required him to sell as much as possible in order to earn a considerable amount of money. According to him, for each Sh100 sold, he’d get a commission of Sh15, adding that on a good day he’d make between 30 to 45 shillings.
After struggling with the Nairobi market, he was sent to Kisumu after an opportunity arose in the company. In Kisumu, he managed to improve his sales and would earn an average of Sh125 daily.
The hawking and marketing job came with its fair share of challenges including humiliation by potential clients and being abandoned by his friends due to the nature of his job.
How he got into Radio
Thanks to his great marketing skills, his friends pushed him back to school to pursue journalism.
He had his internship at Radio Tarumbeta radio in Migori and later got his first job as a morning show presenter at Anyuola radio.
His media career started picking up when he got a job as a correspondent at Ebru TV. However, the position was short-lived.
His major breakthrough came after he received a call from Royal Media Services indicating that he was among those shortlisted for the position of a reporter at Ramogi TV.
He was later called for a series of interviews and screen tests after which he landed and was among a group of presenters unveiled when Ramogi TV launched a few months ago.
Today, he is a renowned reporter at Royal Media and one of the best duo journalists in the country.
