HIS DREAM WAS TO BE IN THE AIR; INSTEAD YOU MEET HIM ON AIR!

“Of childhood dreams that never were!”

If people were to turn the pages of our lives, from the 1^st page to where we are today, would they have any reason to re-read those pages again? What are the greatest highlights in the pages of your life? Is it fame, money, job, power or your faith? In our time and age, Radio has become a popular tool in mass communication. Unlike TV where we get to see the personalities on it, things are different on Radio. There are famous personalities today but very few have used their fame, other than for their personal gain. He might not be on the list of the most famous media personalities today, but those who listen to him say there is something about him. His voice is a mixture of authority, confidence and humility. Michael Murumba shares great moments of HOPE FM’s SAMMY KAIHURI and brings you the story of his faith, work and future plans.

October 23^rd 2004 is most certainly one of the most memorable days in Sammy’s career life. He had showed up at HOPE FM studios the previous day looking for a job. He was kept waiting for the whole day. At 3PM he gave up and left only to be called later by the head of technical and asked to go back. One of the news anchors was away on leave while the news editor was to be away for funeral the following day. Sammy was asked to read the news instead. He was at the studios by 6:30am ready for the 7am bulletin. And at 7am, for the first time in his life, he went live on air. He did the news the whole day and the rest is history.

Coincidental as this might sound; it did not just happen from nowhere. His ability to read news had been developed earlier by David Makuyu who was at the time head of radio at Hope FM. The two met while Mr. Makuyu (currently working with Radio Africa) was a presenter at Family radio (now Radio 316). Sammy had dropped his voice demo at the station. Mr. Makuyu listened to the demo and took it up to train Sammy in news reading from March 2003. That was to shape him into the person he is today. From October 2003, he was integrated in HOPE FM as a volunteer before he was later confirmed as part of the staff.

“God bless the soul of Mr. Makuyu wherever he is.” Sammy says in expression of gratitude to the man who natured the raw talent in him, at a time no one would have shown any interest in him. Sammy also acknowledges the great contribution of Monicah Matiri who was the station manager at HOPE FM but has since left.

Since that time, Sammy has worked at the station where he is currently in the traffic and programming department. He also hosts SPOTLIGHT (a live studio show on current affairs) and TREASURE HUNT (a kids show) that run every Friday and Saturday respectively. Occasionally he sits in on Praise Junction, Route 104 and Breathe of Heaven.

He talks passionately about the kids program and how it has been a platform of ministry to kids in his life and CITAM (Christ Is The Answer Ministries) in general. HOPE FM is owned by CITAM and serves as part of the ministry’s outreach arm. He is the 2^nd presenter to host the 2 hour show. “The greatest lesson I have learnt on this show is that kids are very impressionable people and trusts without questioning. After interacting with kids, I now understand why God asks us to be like Kids.” Seeing the kids on the show grow up in confidence and speaking before people boldly and growth in faith gives me a lot of joy.” Monica picked out my ability to host the show based on my gifting and she gave me the opportunity. I am indebted to her for fanning my career flame.

Being a Christian station, you would expect little challenges or secular influences to the person of Kaihuri. He thinks otherwise based on the fact that not everyone who tunes in is a Christian. “It is easier to be a pastor handling a familiar community than being on radio reaching out to people you doesn’t know. Besides those who are not Christians, you are also ministering to an inter-denominational church from different backgrounds and doctrines. Yet all of them need to be accommodated” This is a tricky balance to strike and the solution according to Sammy lies in spiritual maturity and constant growth on the part of the presenters.

With the platform he is on, Sammy has a wide interaction with a wide range of audience. In communication model, feedback is an important component and just how does these feedbacks matter to Sammy? “In everything you do, there are those people who would love what you do, but there are those who wouldn’t like you. We appreciate positive feedback, but we also grow through criticisms.” Quoting his mentor, Sammy says, “People don’t wake up with an agenda to appreciate. It’s human nature. So, make the choice yourself to appreciate.” At this point, Uncle Sam as he popularly know on treasure Hunt, revisits the fond memories back at campus and the great lectures of one Rosemary K’Owuor (who still lectures at Daystar to date) . She taught him how to add flavor to radio and make his presence more interactive. “I seat back today and appreciate what the lady taught us. I dint appreciate her that time but today I can’t help appreciate the value she added to my life.”

I start asking Sammy about the one person who has inspired and mentored his life, and his face lights up with excitement and betted breath. He wouldn’t wait for me to finish me statement. Sammy’s mentor is the same person who did the demo he had dropped at Radio 316 way before he even joined radio. This is Mr. Effie Hunja. Mr. Hunja anchored news on NTV then later Citizen TV before he quit to focusing on private matters. The two met at Fortress Youth Fellowship of NPC Valley road where they attended service. This is the same place he met the likes of Wageni Kimani (Hope FM’s station manager) Seth Busolo, who reads news at the same station, David Kuria of Mwafrika.com and others. “I was hooked up to Hunja in December 2002 by a great friend of his called Willard Nyasio (also of Fortress Fellowship) after a camp we had in Naivasha. I was the MC for the talent night.” Willard admired the way I did the show and undertook to introduce me to Effie. I later met Effie just before the 2002 general election.”

As a mentor, Effie asks him the hard questions that nobody ever dares. That’s what makes the difference between him and other people in his life. “He asks him questions on such things as relationships (with God and girls), money and spiritual life and plans for the future. That shows concern.” He considers Effie a very successful man, and has been passing on the nuggets of success to him. “Successful people do not hold. They pass it on.” Equally Effie has taught him to pass on anything useful to others instead of being a custodian of the same.

As a media personality, you would expect that Sammy would talk about his five year vision within the media circles. Contrary to this expectation, he pegs his dream on high school ministry that he is so passionate about.

While in high school, being in the media was the last thing that Sammy would think about. His mother occasionally comments on how humorous he was while a kid. “Kaihuri, when you grow up you’ll be a communicator.” His mum would tell him. He would mimic other people and make fun of it but this was never an indicator of where he would end up. In his heart he dreamt of doing aviation. He wanted to be a pilot. Born in Nairobi 26 years ago, he went to Nairobi Primary School before he later transferred to Riara School while in class five. He sat his KCPE in 1998 then joined Braeside School for his year nine doing the British system of education, International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE). He enrolled at the School of Monetary studies for a management course before quitting after 4 months. “I didn’t like the course besides the fact that I was still struggling to discover myself.” He ended up at AUSI for a Pre-university course in Information Technology up to February 2003. The same month he joined the degree program in Business studies at Australian University Studies Institute (AUSI) but would quit 2 months later. August the same year, he joined Daystar University for a diploma in Communication which he dint want to do. “There were so many scales on my eyes one of which was thinking of a job a source of money and an attraction to women.”

He attributes his lack of a clear career direction on his ignorance and lack of guidance from the people ahead of him. “Discovering oneself while young is pretty hard and young people should seek guidance from people ahead of them.”

He left in May 2005 after his diploma and vowed never to go back. He had such a bad attitude to academics so much that he found campus hard and boring. As fate would have it, he was enrolled back in August the same year for his undergraduate program. One month later, he thought studies were taking a toll on him and he wrote back home saying he was quitting. Before he quit, he confided in his friend called Bessy Kathambi who was a forth year student at the time.

“She sat me down on a rock outside the class and spoke to me. She took it upon herself to teach me for 1 hour everyday. She would give exercises and encourage me.” Sammy remembers fondly of Bessy. “At that point, one scale fell off my eyes. That of attitude. And like John C Maxwell says, ‘attitude determines your altitude in your success journey.’ From my September encounter with Bessy, I started enjoying my journey till I graduated on June 19^th 2009.”

Despite being born and brought up in a Christian family, the 1^st born in a family of six had to make his personal decision to give his life to Christ on 9^th August 1995 while in Sunday school. “Though our parents passed on a Godly inheritance us, salvation is a personal choice.” Says Sammy. He remembers the convicting sermon of the lost sheep that was delivered by Pastor Martin Bandu of the Nairobi Pentecostal Church. He made a silent prayer and surrendered his life to Christ. Though he doesn’t believe in a spiritual barometer that would gauge one level of maturity, he works out his salvation daily to keep growing.

He speaks fondly of his mum; Nancy Gachoka who is has a career in community Development as having had a direct influence to his career path. His Father Gachoka Kaihuri is an architect while his younger brother Maina is in IT. His second last sister Njoki is doing Actuarial science and ACCA (professional accounting papers.) The last born sister is in Form two. He is single.

Sammy’s parting shot is for those people dreaming of joining mainstream media. He quotes one of his colleagues Wambui Mburu (who hosts Praise Junction). “Never allow the positive feedbacks get into your head. Let it humble you instead.”