Lang’ata lawmaker Felix Odiwuor, popularly known as Jalang’o, has opened up on his move to suddenly quit Milele FM where he worked as a radio presenter back in the day.
A renowned entertainer, Jalang’o walked out of the Mediamax Network-owned radio station in 2020 after a reported contractual dispute with the management.
Recalling the incident, Jalang’o, in an interview with Alex Mwakideu on Radio 47, said he did not consent to a pay cut by the company. Incidentally, Mwakideu was his co-presenter at the time.
“I firmly rejected the idea of having my salary deducted during such a challenging period,” he recalled.
He further explained he did not understand why the company was insisting he take a pay cut at the time his radio show was, in his own words, generating income.
“The management told me everyone was to take a pay cut. I did not understand where that one was coming from.”
He reluctantly agreed to the pay cut but then the situation took a new twist when every employer was asked to sign a new contract.
“Our show was making more money due to advertisements. I agreed to the deduction since they said it was going to affect everyone. Then they asked me to sign a new contract. I called Mwakideu at night and told him that I was not going to report to work the following morning. I quit the job. I was jobless for two hours,” he said.
Reflecting on his time at the radio station, Jalang’o took pride in how he and his colleagues transformed Swahili radio, making their show one of the most listened-to programs in Kenya.
“We revolutionized the radio industry and turned our show into the number one most-listened-to program in Kenya when working for Radio Maisha. I then approached the company to request a salary increase, but they refused, thinking I was joking. One day, I handed in my resignation letter. They questioned why, stating that one can’t earn more than their boss. After some discussions, I decided to leave. I later joined Hot96, and our show gained immense popularity,” Jalang’o remarked.
Besides Milele FM, Jalang’o expansive career on radio has also led him to Radio Maisha, and Kiss FM where he enjoyed two stints.
He quit radio in 2022 to move to politics. BY NAIROBI NEWS