Sheila ‘Kwambox’ Quits Vybez Radio for Kiss

Sheila Kwamboka is the latest big name on her way out of Standard Group, which owns broadcast, print and digital brands including Vybez Radio, the reggae radio station where she has been working as a radio presenter. Kwamboka is reportedly headed to urban radio station Kiss 100, where she is expected to replace Kamene Goro on the morning show.

Standard is undertaking a restructuring exercise that has seen numerous journalists hand in their resignations even as others are fired as part of cost-cutting efforts.

Among those who resigned are The Nairobian founding editor Ted Malanda, Quality Assurance editor and columnist Clay Muganda, health editor Kamau Mutunga, as well as KTN’s Dau La Elimu show host Frank Otieno.

Those laid off include KTN editor Odeo Sirari, the veteran radio journalist who was hired by KTN in 2018 as an editor, as well as Quality Assurance editors Geoffrey Ombogo and Nicholas Asego. More staff members including roles outside the newsroom are also on their way out.

Since September last year, the company’s employees have been receiving salaries in installments. The company had promised to clear all arrears in December but was only able to pay 80% their October salary. Earlier in January, the media house reached a temporary deal with the Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) to settle salaries by 23rd January 2023 to avert a strike.

Details on why Goro is leaving the show which she hosts alongside comedian Oga Obinna on Radio Africa Group-owned Kiss remain scanty. Vybez Radio, alongside Spice FM, was unveiled by Standard Group in 2019.

The media group had also expanded its footprint with the addition of Farmers TV, Swahili entertainment channel Burudani TV, and acquisitions of Pambazuko and Mt Kenya Star newspapers.

The struggling NSE-listed media house, majority owned by the Moi family and businessman Joshua Kulei, also operates KTN Home and KTN News TV channels, in addition to Radio Maisha, the Standard newspapers, The Nairobian, Pulse and Outdoor Advertising Services.

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