You probably can identify your late night show presenter by their silky sexy voice. You have never met them and only imagine the face behind the mellow voice that comes out of your radio as you unwind after a long day. It’s the same with that favourite breakfast show you look forward to every morning as you head to work. Even in your sleep you can easily tell the voice of your favourite radio presenter but you have never met them physically.
Dean Karemera tracked down some of the faces behind the popular voices that are rocking our airwaves.
Martin Kasirye aka Mc Tino – K FM
One of the most funny radio presenters plies his trade at the Kigali City Tower based K FM as the co-presenter of the Morning Show. With a career spanning 10 years, Mc Tino started as a DJ with Flash FM and later started presenting shows on weekends. After seven years at Radio Flash, Tino left for KFM in 2012 where he hosts the Morning Show with Sandrine Isheja Butera from 6am – 10am.
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Claude Kabengera – Isango Star
Claude Kabengera’s rise to fame is attributed to his efforts in promoting local Rwandan music when he was a co-presenter of Sunday night show. A graduate of National University of Rwanda with a degree in Journalism and Communications, he has over five years experience in the media industry.
He hosts the annual TV show, National Young Entrepreneurs’ Debate Championship (NYEDC), and the Sunday Night Show, a popular night radio show on Isango star 91.5 FM where he also reads news.
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Christine Mercy Mbabazi – Radio 10
Regularly referred to as a jack of all trades, the feisty radio presenter at Radio 10 also happens to be a fashion enthusiast. According to her, she was among the first people to audition at K FM but was never called up after they had told her that she had emerged winner. She later featured as a guest on the Dr. Love show hosted then by Habba on Radio 10. After featuring on the show, she immediately landed herself a slot as a co-presenter with Kate Gustav and Paul of The Overdrive at the station.
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Jeanne de Chantal Mugabushaka aka Eminente – Contact FM
One of the first voices to grace local radio stations, Eminente made a name when she began working at Contact FM in 2005 on a late night show called Mbigenze Nte, literally meaning, ‘What should I do’? The programme was a huge success because of the relationships advice she gave to people especially those about to walk down the aisle.
Eminente is a trained journalist and started out by lending her voice to various talk shows on several radio stations. Although in 2012, she left her popular show to present the morning show, she resumed it later in November that year. Her inspiration comes from Oprah Winfrey.
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Eddie Claude Mudenge – Contact FM
Eddie Claude Mudenge became famous when he was a co-presenter of "Salus Relax” at Radio Salus before joining Contact FM. Mudenge, who is also a songwriter, started his career at Radio Salus where his show had a big following.
However, his ambition was too strong and he later joined Contact FM and presents C FM Vibe that airs everyday from 9:00pm – 11:00pm.
A graduate of the National University of Rwanda, Mudenge is regarded as an authority on showbiz matters which his programme centres on and also analyses top celebrity news and usually has the latest news in entertainment circles.
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Anita Pendo – Magic FM
She has an energetic and eloquent voice that has made her a household name in the broadcasting industry in Rwanda. An emcee, DJ, dancer and actress, she is a force to be reckoned with.
Pendo started her career in 2006 at Radio Flash where she co-presented the Sunday show ‘Insazure’ (feel free) with Manzi. In 2008, she joined City Radio which she left in December 2010.
She continued her career at Contact FM where she co-presented the Route 66 Drive show with Spikey from 3:00 to 6:00pm. It wasn’t long before she joined Radio One as a presenter on the morning show although she had a brief hiatus after she quit.
In April this year, she landed a slot at Magic FM where she co-presents The Flight together with Sabin Murungi from 9:00pm-11:00pm.
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Uncle Austin – K FM
Uncle Austin started out as a karaoke host at Nyira Rock back in the day and has steadily made his rise into presenting and singing. He rose to fame in 2005 when he joined Radio Flash as a co-host on the morning show with Nasty Lee and Lyn. He left Radio Flash in November 2006 to join City Radio and later switched to Radio 10 where he gained fame for his talk show "Afri-Connection Night’.
He went back and forth between City Radio and Radio Ten but seemed to feel at home on Radio 10, where he hosted the morning talk show ‘Wake Up Doze’, that run from 5:00am to 9:00am. In recent months, he seems to have settled at KFM where he hosts the Rush Hour, from Monday to Friday- 3:00pm to 8:00pm.
With some changes made, this has seen him move to a 10:00am-3:00pm slot where he co-presents The Fuse with Cindy. His distinctive voice and magnetic charisma on radio have earned him a loyal fan base.
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Gentil Gedeon – Radio Salus
This soft spoken, gospel singer and songwriter is one of the most sought after radio presenters in Rwanda. Gedeon started his career at Radio Salus in 2011 as a news reporter.
After one year, he stopped news reporting and started hosting talk shows and training as a radio presenter. He is the voice behind Salus Relax every Sunday and Monday from 10:00pm – 12:00pm and 11am – 1:00pm respectively.
He also presents Menya nibi (Know this) that seeks to enlighten people about issues in religion, politics, technology among others, which run on Thursday and Saturday from 9:30pm – 10:00pm on both days.
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Cleophas Barore – Rwanda Broadcasting Agency
There’s no argument that this seasoned journalist is among the best journalists in the country with a following that includes both the youth and old. With over 15 years of experience on radio and currently the vice president of Rwanda Journalists Association, Barore made a name for himself while presenting the popular "Amakuru ki mu binyamakuru,” (news in the papers) that runs every Saturday on Radio Rwanda.
In 2012, he was enthroned as pastor in the ADEPER church. Currently, he presents a show on RTV and moderates different programmes.
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Sandrine Isheja Butera – K FM
It wouldn’t be wrong to say that whatever this smooth voiced presenter touches turns into gold. Starting off her career at Radio Salus in 2008 while still a student at National University of Rwanda, she joined Ally Sudi and Mike Karangwa on their highly popular Salus Relax as a co-presenter. Seeking to gain further exposure, she interned at Isango Star in 2010 and was hired as the presenter of Isango Relax Time from 12:00pm-2:00pm.
Later she co-presentered with Antoinette but more work was on the way. Together with her former co-presenters, who had since joined Isango Star, they started the Sunday Night Show.
The show that used to run from 8:30pm-11:00pm was a big hit that even after Ally Sudi left, Claude Kabengera filled his shoes and no ditch was felt. Sandrine joined K FM in 2013 presenting the K Mid-morning Show from 10:00am – 2:00pm but has since moved to co-presenting the morning show with Mc Tino.
Who is your favourite radio presenter and why?
My favourite radio presenter is Eminent at Contact FM. My reasons are many. First, she decided to take on a very hard radio show where she has to give advice to couples about their relationships and steps they can take in building their relationships. This is a difficult show to handle, remember the help she gives to couples counts, so if things don’t work out they might put the blame on her. I respect her knowledge and wisdom on these matters. Not that other presenters don’t do a good job, but I feel like she does a better one.
Nina Ingabire, Marketer
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That would be very difficult because I like many radio presenters like Kate Gustave, Gutterman, Arthur, but I think my best presenter would have to be Claude Kabengera. He’s among the few Rwandan presenters who play most of our local music. He is well organised and this can be seen with the way he handles himself when he is an emcee. Secondly, he is among the few professional journalists we have in the country, whereas some presenters learn on the job (they actually do a good job) but he still ranks higher when it comes to exhibiting ethical values in the journalism profession.
Sabrina Mfuramzima, Pharmacist
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I don’t listen to radio much, I mainly inter-change between three radio stations, K FM, Contact FM and Radio Salus but I guess my favourite radio presenter is Gentil Gedeon. His show Salux Relax is among the best shows we have in the country at least that is what I think. I have heard him present another programme which I can’t remember but I remember it was on Saturday when I listened to the show (the show is Menya nibi) and I was impressed with the topics he was talking about. One could easily tell that he does research about the topics he talks about which is not the case with other presenters. Most times, these other presenters believe what they read on social media without doing research.
Cyprien Niyogira, I.T officer