The Voice Behind Flash F.M’s ‘Love Special’ show

Anny Salama Murekatete is a popular Flash F.M radio presenter known for luring her audience during the ‘Love Special’ show. With her calm ambience and deep voice she has attracted a fan base of over 2 million Rwandan and Burundian listeners. ‘Love Special’ has the highest record of listeners on Flash F.M. Anny Salama has built a reputation of being an expert on relationships, marriages and sex. This year marks 7 years of hosting her show since its inception in 2004. She receives over 200 SMS’s daily from various fans who; seek her advice on relationships, want to show appreciation and those who belong to her trail of stalkers. Twenty- five year old Anny Salama said she is willing to help people hook up, advise and fix relationships during her show. In some exceptions, she advises people privately on matters that cannot be discussed on. “Sometimes, there are shy listeners who are older and really have sensitive relationship questions that they can’t ask on a live show,” Salama said, “in such cases I don’t mind talking to them off the show because I appreciate the fact that they are my audience.” Salama hosts a 3 hour- 4 days a week show on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. ‘Love Special’ begins at 9:00 p.m with introductions and interesting feedback from listeners. At 10:00 p.m, she proceeds to discuss the day’s theme before she finally opens at 11:00 p.m to receive callers and messages from her audience. She winds up her show at midnight. Salama said her favourite hour is after 10 p.m. “I enjoy this time most because that is when most couples are back home; the evidence is when they start calling in,” she said. This youthful presenter believes that her audience is active, and this is her source of motivation. V-Day is around the corner and Salama is revamping her efforts to give people what they want. She said her V-Day message is especially for the lovers. “It’s a message of honesty, clarity and faithfulness in relationships,” she says. Salama said the biggest challenge she faces as a love presenter is the fact that many people do not believe that real love exists due to past break-ups and their complicated lifestyles. As a result, she has used real life examples to foster clarity during her show. She emphasizes the fact that; relationships can last for years, HIV positive people can get married and that her show is an open forum for conflict resolution in relationship wars. The most important point she says is, “to help people learn and know how to live.” Off the airwaves, Salama is happiest when she spends time with her parents and family; but also becomes very, very furious when she is disrespected for no reason. She also enjoys making new friends and appreciates Rwanda’s culture. As a result she has embarked on a project with some of her friends to help street children, in her home area of Nyamirambo. They teach children the Kinyarwanda traditional dance and cultural values; with time, they intend to build a house to shelter, educate and feed these children before integrating them into more established organizations or homes. She says she derives her motivation from Rwanda’s president Paul Kagame. She said, “I have seen how this country has changed. I also see how people’s lifestyles are changing and this makes me want to make a difference in people’s lives as well.” Salama says her dream is to make her show like Oprah Winfrey’s—her other source of inspiration. “I want to be the Oprah Winfrey of Rwanda. My only challenge is the lack of finances and sponsorship to enable my show become bigger,” Salama said. Sponsor or not, Salama’s ‘Love Special’ has captured the attention and commitment of her listeners, a journey she is willing to partake to change the perception of relational lifestyles in Rwanda. anyglorian@yahoo.com