A few weeks after Kenyans crowdfunded for former NTV journalist Lolani Kalu after learning of his financial struggles through social media, doors have opened for the media personality who boasts of strong command of the swahili language.
Kalu has landed a job at TV47, the broadcaster owned by Mount Kenya University (MKU) founder Prof. Simon Gicharu as a correspondent for the Coastal Region
For the next one year, Kalu will be the regional reporter based at the TV47 Mombasa bureau and will be covering the six counties in coast region.
“I have signed a one-year deal with TV47, the opportunity came after fans saw me shooting my personal shows with one of the artists I was interviewing having TV47 branding. Fans called TV47 to find out if I had signed a deal with the station, and that prompted them to hand me a contract. I will be a coast regional reporter covering the six counties,” he told a local online publication.
Last month, a social media post by Ahmed Mohamed teasing the financial struggles that the journalist was going through went viral prompting Kenyans to scrape whatever they could to help him set up his own news content production company.
Kalu, renowned for the Malimwengu news segment on NTV Swahili News was among a number of journalists laid off by the Nation Media Group (NMG) in a restructuring exercise.
In another media interview, he later explained how he had ended up in the unfortunate situation and hinted that Ksh250,000 would be enough to acquire the equipment needed to enable him get back on his feet.
The journalist said he lost all his savings amounting to Ksh1.5 million to a rogue businessman he had contracted to build him a retirement home in Kang’undo.
Kalu who now lives in Kaloleni, Kilifi County turned to news content production after being duped but unfortunately, the business had been performing poorly with some clients not paying for work done.
At the time, his office didn’t even have a computer and had been using a friend’s laptop to edit his works.
In Kaloleni, he was juggling between producing content and taking care of his elderly mother.
“I would appreciate if I can get Ksh200,000 for a camera and sound equipment and Ksh50,000 for a computer that would enable me to edit the footage I would have shot,” said Kalu.
Kenyans in their droves raised the amount in question enabling him to purchase the desired camera which he showed in an interview with Jalang’o TV.
