This archive report was first published on 21 November 2019.
November 21, 2019, marked a pivotal moment in Alex Mwakideu's life, but little did he know that his career dream was about to take an unexpected turn. Born and raised in Mombasa, Mwakideu, like many young men, had entertained the idea of meeting a wealthy European tourist to marry and relocate from Kenya.
However, his true passion lay elsewhere. Mwakideu had always dreamed of becoming a tour guide, leading a life of partying while getting paid at the same time. He envisioned himself taking tourists to the Maasai Mara and Lamu, enjoying the experience as he earned his money.
“I didn’t do anything about it,” Mwakideu recalled in a recent interview, “but I had this story in my head that if I became a tour guide, I would find a European wife in Germany and that would be the end of my Kenya story.”
But fate had other plans. Mwakideu's interest in drama during his school days led to an opportunity with a radio station, where he was encouraged to be a presenter by Peter Musembi. One day, he got the chance to go on air, and as they say, the rest is history.
“I was given live news to read, and when I came out, the whole office was loud and excited,” Mwakideu added, reminiscing about his first on-air experience.
Today, Mwakideu is the head of radio at Milele FM, with 14 years of success under his belt. He attributes his achievements to having good mentors and training with the best.
