My First Media interview was at QFM hosted by Sheila Mwanyiga in 2013. A friend of mine was to be hosted and he requested me to take him but when we arrived there he requested me to take over as he didn’t understand safety as I did and so I had to be the guest.
The second one was in 2014 at Hope TV and the same thing happened. My colleague was to go discuss about disaster management and he requested I take him and when we arrived he was told they needed to discuss about Carbon monoxide poisoning which he was not prepared for and he begged me to take over and because am always prepared I became the guest.
The third was on December 2015. I received a call from Royal media while doing some stuff at Industrial area. The lady said they had gotten my number from KICC and they had been informed I was a great Safety instructor and they needed to talk to me. That was around 2pm and they begged I visit their office before 4pm which was not possible. They had to wait upto 6pm and when I arrived I just realized there was a new Kikuyu TV station called Inooro and I was to be hosted at Ndagitari show. I had not watched anything at Inooro before or done any interview in Kikuyu but since that day I have been hosted by Inooro TV approximately 24 times discussing about Safety and have rejected more than 20 invitations from them due to my unavailability/tight schedule.
One day I received a linkedin message requesting me whether I was available within a short period to record a short First aid clip at Family TV and after confirming, I went, did a recording and from that day I appeared on Family Health program on Family TV every Wednesday and Sunday for a whole year.
I have in the past cancelled/rejected a number of invitations due to various reasons e.g an invitation by Victoria Rubadiri then working at NTV and wanted to host me at Victorias Lounge but had called me at night requesting to host me the following morning but I had an early morning flight so I could not be available for the recording. Supa Warui requesting to host me at MBCI TV to discuss about Nakuru County Government politics when there were rumors that I was vying for the governor seat but I rejected the offer, Debar of NTV to discuss youths and politics, KBC, kameme etc all rejecting due to short notice and other reasons.
Now, any one who knew me when I was growing up understands how I struggled with stammering and at some point nicknamed Gatotori until I managed it. In my life I have never participated in any school debate, argument or addressed more than 2 people due to fear, timidity, challenges of self expression, low self esteem etc.
One day when recording Ndagitari show at Inooro TV hosted by Wambui wa Muturi, I was residing at Githurai 45 then and experienced the most embarrassing moment on TV. I had a classy suit but inside the bus I used it gathered a Kunguni and during the show the thing decided to show up. They had to cut short the recording for me to gather some energy to proceed. It was terribly embarrassing.
At Kamurunyu Primary School in Murunyu Nakuru where I schooled for almost my entire school life without a pair of shoes and not able to complete a sentence in English, I didn’t know that one day I will make presentations before Governors, CS, The First lady, receiving an invitation to the state house, being hosted by UN Security experts to make a presentation on a Culture of safety, board dozens of Aeroplanes traveling around as a Safety professional and coming this far.
I used to be a laughing stock but now am a reference point only by the grace of God. I used to be so confused but now the media stations, government institutions, experts and personalities are using me to give direction, BY THE GRACE OF GOD.
Please note that I didn’t study Safety in School. I pursued B.A Economics at Moi University but Safety and Disaster Management is a passion that I pursued, watched movies, read articles and developed it and became a highly sort after expert and consultant in the field. It is the power of passion.
All this time I was not seeking for money or greatness but pursuing a passion and purpose of helping build a culture of Safety. I have been seeking to bring a solution but in the process opportunities came that took me to the next levels.
When you are down to nothing, God is up to something.
In my sitting room there is some big writings saying, ‘If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way’
The grace of God can prepare and equip you for any assignment. Most of my first media interviews came and favored me because I was always prepared. Opportunities favors the prepared. May the Lord bring to you opportunities that will turn your life around even through your weakness.
May the Lord open your eyes to see the potential and opportunities around that will take you to great levels.
God will raise you from rags to riches. zero to hero, nothing to something, grass to grace.