Top 10 Football Commentators In Kenya
Football commentary helps non-viewers understand the game better adding their listening pleasure. Photo courtesy
Football is one of the most loved and cherished sport by many across the globe. However, due to various reasons, many fans are unable to watch matches on TV or gather around public screens. In Kenya, most matches are not accessible for free through common set-top boxes, as they are aired on Supersport channels available on DSTV, which requires a monthly subscription that many Kenyans cannot afford.
Football commentary therefore help non-viewers understand the game better adding their listening pleasure. The following is a list of 10 Best Football Commentators in Kenya, though we have not ranked them in a certain order; we have just picked them randomly.
1. Stephen Mukangai
Stephen Mukangai is one of the most popular Football commentators in Kenya, in an exclusive interview with Mideyah Digital Media, Mukangai revealed how veteran journalist Ali Hassan Kauleni helped him secure an internship at Standard Group Media radio station Radio Maisha in 2010. Kauleni further played a permanent role in Mukangai’s contract at the station. Mukangai revealed KBC veteran football commentators Jack Oyoo Sylvester and Ali Salim Manga inspired him to love football commentary. The celebrated sports journalist gained massive following with his popular program ‘Dozi Dozi’ which aired in both Radio Maisha and KTN Television. The self-made ‘King wa Cuzzo’ as referred by many of his fans, is now the Head of Sports for Radio Maisha and its sister station Berur FM which airs its programs in Kalenjin language. He secured the aforementioned position in Radio Maisha in early 2023 following Hassan Mwana wa Ali’s exit.
2. Ali Hassan Kauleni
The veteran sports journalist has been in the football commentary for over a decade now. Hassan Mwana wa Ali is loved by many for his prowess and eloquence in Swahili language. He began his sports journalism career at Royal Media Services Radio Citizen where he did football commentary alongside late Mohamed Juma Njuguna before leaving for Radio Maisha in 2010. The veteran journalist has gained massive popularity in recent years for his unique way of celebrating goals especially for his popular ‘Amope chronicles‘ which made fans nickname him Amope. Hassan joined newly opened station, Radio 47 under Cape Media in 2023 where he hosts every Saturday’s ‘Bahari Ya Elimu’ educative show as well as a sports show ‘Mikiki Ya Spoti’ alongside Fred Arocho and Lucky Herriano.
3. Fred Arocho
Arocho is a seasoned football commentator who is also a former player in the Kenyan league. Due to his love for football, Arocho rarely missed attending matches and it was at this time when he met the Sports Queen Carol Radull who was then the Programs controller at Radio Africa owned station Radio Jambo. Carol was impressed with him and secured him a job at the station. Since then, Arocho move to Media Max satin Milele FM before he returned ‘Home’ Radio Jambo before leaving again in 2023 for Radio 47. Arocho who is nicknamed ‘Laduma‘ by fans for his unique way of celebrating goals during commentating. He is also popular for imitating his former coach who used to address them with broken English during his time as a player. He is among the Greatest football commentators Kenya has ever produced.
4.Diblo Kaberia
Diblo Kaberia ‘Elmago’ is also a seasoned football commentator. The self-proclaimed ‘Rais wa Twa Twa’ has his unique way of keeping his fans glued to the radio with his classy analytical skill making listeners feel like they are watching the match live. Kaberia was ‘poached’ by Qwetu Radio before he returned to Radio Jambo. Away from football commentary, Kaberia wished to become a professional footballer, but his dream didn’t come true as he jokingly talks about how he played soccer in Guatemala. Kaberia is also popular for his ‘Taaaaarifa’ phrase he uses when giving score updates from other live matches.
5. Kaka Zema
The renowned journalist commonly referred to ‘Mtoto wa Mjomba’ began his journalism career back in Mombasa, before he made his career breakthrough at Radio Citizen. Zema started his career as a mere presenter where he used to host a Taarab show at Radio Citizen dubbed ‘Rusha Roho’ as well as football commentating alongside late Mohamed Juma Njuguna. In 2018, he was ‘poached’ by Media Max owned station Milele FM before exiting the media house last year. He is now contracted by AZAM Tv to air the Kenya Premier League as the leading commentator.
6. Torome Tirike
Tirike who popularly refers to himself as ‘Double T’ from the first letters in his two names, began his football commentating career at KBC while still a student at Kenya Insititute Mass Communication (KIMC). He used to earn a Ksh. 500 monthly salary before the pay rose gradually to earning around Ksh. 10,000 before joining Radio Citizen. As he used to call himself ‘Maasai Nambari Moja’, he remains the first Maasai to become a sports journalist. He later joined Media Max as a football commentator for both Milele FM and K24 before leaving the media house. According to his ‘X'(twitter), he now serves as the Narok County Communication strategist and cultural ambassador.
7. Georges Waka
The seasoned journalist began his football commentating career at Radio Jambo where they formed a very good football commentating chemistry alongside Diblo Kaberia, Fred Arocho, and Gathuki Kimondo AKA ‘Wa Kasungura’. The quartet rocked the Kenyan airwaves with their classic football commentating. Georges Waka who commonly refers himself as ‘Waka Waka Kispoti’, he left Radio Jambo and joined the national broadcaster station KBC Radio Taifa.
8. Geoffrey Mwamburi
The celebrated sports journalist who hails from County 006 Taita Taveta county, began his sports journalism journey back in 2009 in Mombasa based radio Pwani FM before moving to Royal Media Services Radio Citizen where he has garnered massive popularity for his excellent football commentating. He is famed for his tagline ‘Beki wa Kupanda Na Kushuka’
9. Ali Salim Manga
The veteran journalist alongside Jack Oyoo Sylvester are the football commentating pioneers in Kenya. Salim Manga joined KBC back in 1977. He has commentated in CAF, CECAFA, AFCON Finals as well as World Cup Finals back in 2006. He is one the Greatest Football commentators of all time.
10. Jack Oyoo Sylvester
Whenever you talk about Football commentating in Kenya, you have to mention Jack Oyoo Sylvester as he has revolutionized football commentary in the country as well as inspiring many sports journalists in the industry today. He joined the national broadcaster back in 1987 and took over the football commentary in Kenya by storm. He is Kenya’s one of the Greatest football commentators.
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