Veteran radio and TV sports journalist Torome Tirike has told his lengthy but inspiring story to becoming one of the most notable journalists in the sports fraternity.
Tirike, an alumnus of the South B based Kenya Institute of Mass Communication (KIMC) says he was inspired into sports journalism by veteran KBC sports presenter Jack Oyo Sylvester.
"I liked the way Jack used to present sports news and live matches in an unadulterated Swahili. Through his inspiration, I decided that I wanted to be a Swahili sports presenter because that would help me achieve my desired goals," Tirike told Radio Maisha on Saturday during the 'Nuru ya Lugha' show.
He recalls that his journey in sports reporting which now spurns for over two decades kicked off at the State broadcaster, KBC, where he interned before the management decided to hire him as "they were happy with my job".
Torome says he was earning a gross salary of Sh500 per month while still a student at KIMC.
"I can't say I tarmacked so much to find myself a job because KBC hired me while still at the college where I started as a sports reporter before I was moved to football commentaries.
"I stayed for a while before my salary was raised to Sh2,000 and then to Sh10,000. Of the latter amount, Sh4,000 catered for my house rent as by then I had already graduated from school," he adds.
After a long stint at KBC, Torome says that Royal Media Services' Radio Citizen 'poached' him where he went on to work in a similar capacity for 7 years.
He, however, notes that he consulted widely before finally deciding to decamp to Citizen in search of 'greener pastures'.
Tirike likens media personalities to professional soccer players whom he says are mostly available to the highest bidder.
The extra-tall, thin journalist moved to MediaMax Networks Limited in 2013 as Sports Editor. He also presents Swahili sports news on K24 TV and occasional football commentaries on sister radio station, Milele FM.
Here he says, his salary was increased from what he was earning at Citizen adding that 'right now I cannot complain, my salary is six-figure'.
#MyJob