Kwambox Speaks On Revealing Six-Figure Salary At Kiss FM Job

Radio presenter Sheila Kwamboka aka Kwambox has dismissed any expectations from her fans for her to reveal the salary she will earn while working for Radio Africa Group's Kiss FM.

Speaking to entertainment journalist Kalondu Musyimi on Friday, February 3, Kwambox revealed that it would be distasteful if she was to ever show the true figure of her monthly salary while at the media house.

She added that she has sympathy for Kenyans who are being subjected to mass redundancies, especially in the media industry which have hit headlines since the last quarter of 2022.

"I think I'd keep that to myself especially...I want to be considerate, not to say yes or no, but I think it would be in bad taste to speak about a paycheck when a lot of people are losing their jobs.

Radio presenter Sheila Kwamboka. /FILE

"I know a lot of people who are currently in redundancy so I'll choose not to speak about that because I don't think it is in great taste," she disclosed.

Her predecessor, Kamene Goro, who officially left Radio Africa on Friday, January 27, was reportedly earning Ksh340,000 per month, even though she regularly skipped work for medical reasons, which did little to convince the management.

On joining Kiss FM as the morning show host, Kwambox noted that she wasn't surprised and that she had already signed her contract when the announcement was made official.

"I already knew, it wasn't a surprise...by the time the announcement had happened, I had already signed the contract and a few of my closest friends and inner circle already knew...I already knew for like a whole week 

"For me, I am looking at it like a new responsibility and I am also asking myself what I will do differently. I am also very ready to always show up, do the job, and put my foot forward. My fans will tell me what is working or not," she went on.

She further noted that her time at Vybez Radio had come to a close and was preparing for the next phase of her journey, which would be bigger and better, thus Radio Africa was what came to mind.

"I'm a person who plans and my season for whatever I was doing previously was over and I was in the process of preparing for the next season and it really took a lot of inflexion and retrospect just to be able to stay calm for the next thing to come.

"When this opportunity came, because I was so still, I knew it was the next journey and I think a few of the things is that I want to be able to speak to a bigger audience, I want to be able to do even bigger so I thought what's bigger...Radio Africa," she explained.

On working with her new co-host, Oga Obinna, Kwambox disclosed that they interacted with each other on several occasions in the entertainment scene, including a time when she hosted Obinna on her own platform when he was trying to get his music career going before radio, almost six years ago, hence the excitement on the possibility of working together.

"I've interacted with Obinna, we've been in the entertainment scene; fun fact, I hosted Obinna on industry night, which is a platform I own...when he was especially really trying to get his music career going before radio...that was like in 2016, 17

"Just being on the show with him is already exciting and I'm excited to see what we can co-create," she went on.

Kwambox further defended against criticism by Kenyans about radio stations having discussions on relationships instead of serious issues by terming relationships a serious issue that should be talked about more often, especially in the modern age, with the view of making them better.

She and Obinna will officially take to the airwaves in The Morning Kiss radio show starting on Monday, February 6 and running every weekday from 6 am to 10 am.

Chito Ndhlovu, also a Kiss FM presenter, has been filling in for Kamene ever since her departure.

Promo poster for Kwambox and Obinna on Kiss FM. /FACEBOOK