Yvonne Okwara graduated with a degree in microbiology but Jimmy Gathu convinced her to be a Journalist instead of a scientist.
Jimmy Gathu is one of the most accomplished media personalities in Kenya having worked for nearly all leading media houses in Kenya.
At the peak of his career, Gathu was then poached by Royal Media Services to help revive the defunct Y FM which was replaced by Hot 96 FM.
The legendary media personality reflected on how he built Hot 96 FM during a recent interview on The Standard. He narrated how he discovered Yvonne Okwara and taught her how to be a journalist.
“I designed Hot 96 and that’s where I discovered and trained Yvonne Okwara who was my first breakfast show presenter. I remember telling Yvonne that I will teach you what they don’t teach in journalism class,” said Jimmy Gathu.
He took a chance on Okwara who had graduated with a degree in microbiology and trained her to become a radio presenter.
“For me, I was looking for talent that was able to dissect research and take on an interview with facts. Yvonne had a co-host who was a lawyer and their first guest was Tana River MP Danson Mungatana and when the show ended, he was like who are those girls?. He enjoyed it but they tore him to pieces,” Gathu narrated.
After discovering Okwara, he would then hire former Citizen TV anchor Johnson Mwakazi after attending an event where he was the MC.
“I go for this event at Serena, I was the MC. I introduced this entertainer and the guy grabbed the mic and his voice, oh my God!” He recalled.
