Since Inooro FM hit the airwaves way back in the year 2003, it has had four heads of radio.
The four can be credited for overseeing the S.K Macharia-owned Kikuyu radio station to establish itself as a household name in many Kikuyus' homesteads.
Today, Inooro FM is not only a big brand name but also prides itself as the most listened to Gikuyu radio station in many rural households.
Inooro often beats Kikuyu mother radio, Kameme FM, hands down in many rural areas where it enjoys a massive listenership. This is according to many recent and past GeoPoll surveys.
However, this does not just happen without a strong leadership of the Inooro FM on-air personalities who are the voice and the face of the station. As an old Kikuyu adage says, 'Ingithua ndongoria itikinyagira nyeki' (A foolish shepherd cannot lead the flock to where the pasture is), a loose translation.
So, who are these shepherds that have made Inooro FM continue soaring high far off the ground? We list them below.
1. Gathoni Wa Muchomba
Wa Muchomba is the current Kiambu Woman Rep who was the founding head of Inooro FM and served between years 2003 and 2006.
She can be credited for laying the foundation on which the Royal Media Services Kikuyu station stands on today. Inooro FM launched as a purely Kikuyu station which proved popular among the rural populations.
Even after Wa Muchomba left the station to go and start another station (Bahasha FM) which flopped right from the start, the energy she left Inooro FM with, continues to keep it flying high and higher.
2. Zulu Thiong'o
He was the second and the longest-serving Inooro FM manager who served between years 2006 and 2014. During Thiongo's tenure, Inooro witnessed growth in audience and geographical coverage.
His lowest moment is perhaps when Inooro FM in the run-up to 2013 General Election was 'forced' to tow the line and openly support then CORD presidential candidate, Raila Odinga. Macharia had openly stated that he was supporting Odinga during that election.
This move proved so unpopular among Inooro FM's Kikuyu listeners who immediately decamped to other Kikuyu pro-Jubilee party stations. The station is yet to recover from the setback it suffered from that unpopular move.
3. Esther Macharia
She took over from Thiong'o in 2014 up to early this year when she was hounded out due to among other reasons plummeting audience ratings.
Macharia was, however, popular among the station's presenters due to her ability to listen and address their burning concerns. Before assuming her managerial role at Inooro FM, she served as a programmes controller of QFM and Easy FM (now defunct) which were owned by Nation Media Group.
4. Edith Kigia
She is the current head of Inooro FM and is barely a year old in the job. Kigia who also doubles as a presenter started at Inooro FM as a voice-over artist way back in the year 2005 before she was hired at the Royal Media Services radio traffic department.
Where she will steer Inooro FM to going forward, nobody knows but time will tell.
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