This archive report was first published on 22 July 2019.
Published on July 22, 2019, the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt was a historic moment for Kenya's national football team, which returned to the continental final for the first time since 2004.
Kenyan officials, including Dr. Peter Waweru, a Pure Mathematics Lecturer at Jomo Kenya University of Agriculture and Technology, and Assistant Referee Gilbert Cheruiyot, made significant contributions to the tournament.
However, it was the unsung heroes behind the cameras who caught the attention of Head of Mediapro Production Africa, Pablo Ramirez. Eight Kenyans, including Kelvin Minishi, Mark Osotsi, Francis Ngira, Francis Owino, Brian Obuchi, Moses Ochieng, Melvin Muoki, and Edvine Maloba, worked tirelessly to bring the Afcon action to living rooms around the world.
According to Ramirez, the Kenyan crew 'adopted to Mediapro style and philosophy' quickly, earning rave reviews for their outstanding work. He added that Mediapro would have used more Kenyans in Afcon 2019 without hesitation, citing their 'artistic and technical abilities.'
Mediapro TV Productions has been working with Kenyan crews since January 2018, producing the Sportpesa Premier League and Afcon qualifiers. The company has also sent four Kenyan crew members to Abu Dhabi to produce the Asian Nations Cup.
Francis Ngira, a Senior Camera Operator, described the experience as 'surreal' and expressed his desire to work on bigger events like the Olympics and the Fifa World Cup. Mark Osotsi, a Camera Operator, thanked Mediapro for believing in Kenyans and giving them the opportunity to work on such a big event.
Francis Owino, another Camera Operator, expressed pride in the Kenyan crew's ability to work at a high level and with state-of-the-art equipment.
