Royal Media Services (RMS) has launched a sweeping, cross-station radio shake-up designed to refresh its sound and give listeners a completely new experience across its popular brands.
Beginning Monday, February 9, the media powerhouse rolled out a major reshuffle of its star presenters, moving some of the most recognizable voices in Kenyan radio into unfamiliar time slots across multiple stations. The changes cut across breakfast, mid-morning and drive shows, marking one of the boldest programming overhauls in recent years.
RMS says the move seeks to disrupt the predictability of the traditional radio clock and introduce a fresh dynamic that allows audiences to experience their favourite presenters in new ways.
At Hot 96, Nick Odhiambo and Cynthia Mwangi will take over the Breakfast Show, replacing long-serving hosts Jeff Koinange and Patrick Igunza. The veteran duo will not be leaving the station, however, as RMS has reassigned them to the high-energy Drive Show, where they are expected to bring their trademark chemistry to the evening audience.
Radio Citizen will also undergo a significant transformation. The current Drive Show team of Tina Ogal, Abdi Munai and Sulwe’s Kuka Kisondio will move to the station’s flagship breakfast programme, Jambo Kenya. In turn, Vincent Ateya, Philip Murutu and Melody Sinzore, who previously hosted Jambo Kenya, will switch to the Drive Show.
Further changes at Radio Citizen will see Q-Tee, Bensu and DJ Flash take over Mzazi Willy M Tuva’s Mambo Mseto. Tuva will then team up with Selly Kadot and DJ Ronnix on the #WaksTikiTaka show, which is traditionally hosted by the presenters stepping into his former slot.
The reshuffle will push Mzazi Willy M Tuva, widely known for his polished Swahili delivery, into a more unconventional space where he will engage in sheng, football discussions and reggae music in an unexpected blend aimed at attracting a broader audience.
At Mulembe FM, Breakfast Show host Omar Bakuli will move to the Drive Show, while Pamela Kadima, who previously handled drive time, will step into the breakfast role.
Inooro FM will not be left out of the disruption. Breakfast presenters Jeff Kuria and Nyoxx will transition to the Drive Show, Kuihuria. Veteran broadcaster Nderitu Waihura, who hosts the late-night programme, will take a break as Njuguna and Karwimbo assume control of his slot.
Explaining the thinking behind the shake-up, Fred Afune, RMS ICT and Radio Director, said the changes deliberately push presenters out of their comfort zones.
“The shake-up is daring: iconic morning show kings and queens will be trading their dawn alarms for the high-energy ‘drive’ time slots, while supercharged evening hosts will find themselves caffeinated and ready to tackle the breakfast rush,” Afune said.
“By moving a morning legend to the evening or a late-night storyteller to the mid-morning, we are challenging the presenters to bring their magic to a new audience and giving the fans a side of their favourite stars they’ve never heard before.”
Dubbed an “Airwave Interruption,” the initiative goes beyond a routine schedule change. RMS views it as a creative experiment that tests the adaptability of its on-air talent and reinforces the idea that a compelling radio personality transcends time slots, thriving instead on the strength of connection with listeners.
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