The story is told of how young Ms Mutoko was riding in a matatu when she heard that Capital Fm were looking for presenters. She presented herself and the rest is history.
Caroline "KissFm" Mutoko: Hon Martha Karua is familiar with this popular radio presenter
But even more interesting is the history of her current employers, KissFm. Launched during the Moi era, by one Henry Kwaku, a Ghanian who had already been successful in radio in Uganda and was looking to get a foothold in Kenya, the radio station was one of the first private ones to be licensed by the conservative, paranoid Moi regime. The truth is that in those days radio licenses were virtually impossible to get, so what shrewd Kwaku did was to partner with the influential Kittony family (or shall we say used them as fronts). With the right contacts and with Kwaku's deep knowledge on the true potential of radio—even alongside TV and Internet—the radio station has grown into a major powerhouse in the region.
Interestingly one of the other popular shows on the radio station is the political discussion forum aptly called Crossfire that Kwaku himself hosts on Sunday evenings. It is said that the participants receive Kshs 20,000 every time they make an appearance at the show.
But the main focus and driving force of the radio station remains the controversial Caroline Mutoko who has grown in leaps and bounds with the popular radio station. There is little doubt that she has learnt quickly from her mentor, Mr Kwaku.
Ironically the most memorable event involving Caroline was the time she got on the wrong side of Narc-Kenya Iron lady and Minister of Justice, Martha Karua. Nairobians really got excited and amused when in 2003, the Minister was carjacked at around midnight and the only person she was with at the time was one father Wamugunda. Caroline had a field day asking her eager listeners all sorts of hypothetical and hilarious rhetorical questions addressing the mystery as to what the minister may have been doing with the Catholic Father at that time of the night. Hon Karua does not take kindly to that kind of press coverage (ask Mburu Mucoki publisher of the Independent who has recently been sentenced to a jail term for a similar story he published on the Minister.)
Caroline suddenly found herself in the court corridors and faced with all sorts of restraining orders. "Respect me and I will respect you," Hon Karua is fond of telling journalists who dare attempt to bring up the issue of Father Wamugunda and the carjacking incident.
They say that people who live in glass houses should not throw stones and apparently Ms Mutoko has secret issues of her own which she would hate to be publicized, but I guess it all goes with her image and popularity.
The most valuable business secret from Coca Cola
Regular violent wife rape by a dutiful husband.
Granted, Ms Caroline is our local version of Oprah albeit not on the financial fame side. To be fair Chris lest you be accused of murkraking let the beatiful girl rock the mike provided she doens't go the NMG way. She has the rights to lower her pants to whoever she wishes being a consenting adult.
ReplyDeleteTo her credit, her fame has not gobne to her head the way small timers badny the label around. Listening to the girl, you recognize an element of maturity that is complemented with Nyambane's rediculuous and contrasting character.
As for Kwaku, he too must only be human and you appreciate the owner of a fair pair when you see one. Let the guy sample the beautiful fruits while avalailble provided they don't mix business with matter in between the sheets.
This story gives us a glimpse of what erotic currents run under our corporate veins. None, even the governement ministries is spared this propensity to have men figuratively walking with their pants on the shoulders. Only when it takes the Soddom and Gommora dimension like at NMG do we have qualms.
Here Kums,
ReplyDeleteTo make things clear here, first the name is Patrick Quarco whether it is a Latinisation of the name Kwaku I don't know.
Second the guy is just a front, the main guys at Kiss are some Kalenjin dudes led by one Mr. Kittony-son of Zippy Kittony...check your sources...that tells you how they were able to get airwave licences when it was like squeezing water from a stone...
Third, I don't think you've told us anything new except for 'hyping up' our thirst for info about these so-called radio presenters ( personally I can't stand Caro- me thinks she's over-hyped & an empty debe making noise)
Bwana anti-anything-GEMA, si you look for better ways to get famous. This is primitive, and you are stooping too low. GROW UP.
ReplyDeleteThanks obsavah for the correction. I was just about to point out the same. The last time i checked the "proprietor" of kiss fm was Patrick Quarco and not some Henry Kwaku. Anyway, is having an affair new to you guys or what? In the US u are not supposed to work in the same office with your lover (In most companies). But here in Kenya there is no such statute. Let's not lower ourselves to the level of village women who will cease evry opportunity to discuss other people's sexual escapades. Whether Quarco gets lucky with the girl is a non issue. We also have girlfriends.
ReplyDeleteAll said and done I think Carol is great, she has done a lot towards many causes without necessaryly trying the activist attitude of affirmative action of feminists in Kenya. Her personal contributions are noteworthy and really appreciated. I can elect her as my MP if she ever wanted!! For what she stands for and the values she has.Forget her sex life if you dont have one get a Monica lewensky but remain great like Clinton.
ReplyDeleteSo why is it okay to forget Carol's sex life (with Patrick) but it was okay to demonise the Nation Mullahs for reaching up the skirts of yuoung girls at NMG?
ReplyDeleteHypocrisy??/
Chris, what is your yardstick for saying that KissFM is the most popular station in Kenya? It is popular, but definitely NOT the most popular. In terms of reach, Citizen and KBC are far ahead. What I know is all stations serve specific interest groups and KissFM, to me, is a station for the youth - mostly students. In the eyes of advertisers, this group has limited purchasing power. Kiss FM were pioneers in pairing comedians (Nyambane, Kajairo, and Churchill at Classic FM) with regular presenters - and this endeared them to many. As Carol herself has repeatedly told us, she is not only a Breaksfast show present but also has many official duties at Kiss and Classic FM which fall under one media company. The company has also announced it is in process of establishing a daily newspaper. This is good for Kenya. Carol has a higher moral standing than most FM presenters (they call themselves CELEBRITIES). She also hopes to be married and have a family in future. She is a good role model for our young girls.
ReplyDeleteshe is one mean, frustated depressed lady in her life very arrogant n thinks she is the ultimate and knows everything, BUT she doesnt know that she is "NOTHING", and if she thinks she is cool then she should just go hide herself somewhere coz she is pathetic and inhuman, and doesnt know to talk, get excited for no good reason
ReplyDeleteI returned back home after 6 years overseas, and was shocked to still find that Nyambane & Mutoko were playing the same game & jokes! This needs to recycled & re-invented - otherwise it runs stale!
ReplyDeleteIts said that Radio presenters are the voice of the people. I dont think Kenyans are arrogant & loud people. This is not what Kiss FM Breadkfast show portrays. Some of the BBC RSS feeds that are always quoted during their morning show are unfounded & I dont think that they realize this. Get real & rejuvenate your style,its cramping the radio hosts
Well, i wish Carol good luck if she has found someone to marry. We have lovers for a while & after being jilted, i want the world to know that we have been lesbian lovers for 4 years until this June 2007 when we broke up. Prior to that, she used to date my friend Janet whom they met at the University of Nairobi. We never came public because Kenya has not accepted Homosexuals. Double Standards! Everyone needs to get real about Caroline
ReplyDeleteThe world has chnaged and men tend to fear women who are so straight.Caroline,you are doing well.I love you so so much and whatever you talk about in your show is the truth.Hate her or love her,she is a woman to reckon with and a woman to be proud of!
ReplyDeleteCarol is doing a good job 4 Kenyans.Congrats n keep it burning.
ReplyDeleteLIPUA everything with no fear.
Hi everytime i hear caroline mutoko she has avery sweet voice,
ReplyDeletebut what a mazed me is when i saw her photo in one of the leading magazini,but the gal aint hot and sweet as her voice no wonder she keeps low profile.can she try to afford good look
sorry
caro is hot, i know her in the inside
ReplyDeletecaro is hot, i know her in the inside
ReplyDeletecaroline is da boom infact we should send her to parliament she is one of the upright ladies we have in kenya...........
ReplyDeletejoy says...
ReplyDeleteCaro is one talented lady but I Personally think that she should stop being rude to people who call the radio station and also I would like to know which criteria is used to choose the winners in the various competitions that take place in the radio coz its the same same people who keep on winning am frustrated
.
Caroline is a wonderful,kind, sensitive and caring person.she is human and humane.Her pain is real,her tears are real. It doesn't get any more real. but real is also her talent, sense of humuor and the love she has for kenya and kenyans. she is a star and we should be proud of our stars - not try to bring them down.The only problem with her physical presence is that she walks around without a fire extinguisher and considering the heat and hype she generates this obviously gets a little uncomfortable for some
ReplyDeletei just read an article on mt elgon, i dont live there and i know no one from mt elgon, but the story breaks my heart. i wish media could dwell more on issues like this instead of giving politician time to tell us nonesense,like planning for 2012 presidency, how i wish all kenyans could burn their voters cards right infront of them that way they will have nothing to tell us. when the pple in charge of the military release their men to go help and flash out the militia i was like thank God finally, instead what did they do? do u have to kill innocent pple inorder for u to get the bad guys.anyway its too much in kenya i wonder why nothing is done right. please media when u come up with news follow up on it, when something bad is happening do a story and if nothing is being done do it again and again untill pple incharge wake up. and if they are doing something good u should also tell us please we depend on you. Below is the article...
ReplyDeleteBUNGOMA, Kenya - Dozens of scared children filed silently into the bare room, their eyes on the cracks in the floor. One by one, in low voices, they told of being tortured by the Kenyan army because they were suspected of aiding rebels. They told of being beaten and made to shake hands with corpses. They told of being forced to crawl through barbed wire tunnels and of genitals squeezed by pliers.
Then the children took off their shirts. White scars crisscrossed the dark skin on their backs like grains of rice. Some were still bleeding.
These children are among hundreds in western Kenya who have been terrorized, many twice over, first by a militia in their villages and then by the army sent to fight it. The militia forced children as young as 10 to become soldiers. In a widespread crackdown, the army then rounded up the children and thousands of adults and tortured them, human rights groups say.
The Associated Press interviewed some of the children in a detention center, brought in by a human rights advocate without the knowledge of government officials or the military. The children have been held since April on charges of promoting warlike activities. Their identities and location are withheld to protect them from reprisals.
In March, the Kenyan government sent its army to crack down on the Sabaot Land Defense Force militia, which is named after the Sabaot region. But instead of hunting down militia fighters where they hide in the forests of Mount Elgon, the army swept up thousands of men and boys from the surrounding villages.
Since then, so many reports of murder and torture have emerged that Kenya's state-run human rights commission is calling for the prosecution of the defense minister and top army and police officials. There are also calls for the United States and Britain to suspend millions of dollars in aid and training to the Kenyan army.
The U.S. has asked for $7.45 million (euro4.7 million) for "peace and security" purposes for Kenya in 2009. Britain is providing more than $1.96 million this year to fight terrorism and has allocated $7.83 million for regional security initiatives based in Kenya.
Representatives of both governments in Kenya told The Associated Press they are deeply concerned over the reports of abuses and are calling on the Kenyan government to investigate. But the Kenyan government says the army has received no complaints.
The militia in Mount Elgon formed because of land conflicts, the same issue that fueled violence in Kenya after disputed elections in December. Squatters who had farmed the same fields since they were children were evicted in a government land scheme, and the rich grabbed plots set aside for the landless.
The militia flourished in the thick forests of Mount Elgon, where 166,000 people live in poor villages next to a dormant volcano. Some families encouraged children to join in the hope of securing land in the 370-square-mile (950-square-kilometer) district. Others were given a stark choice: pay the militia up to 50,000 Kenyan shillings (US$830, euro525) — far beyond the reach of most — donate their son, or die.
One 15-year-old joined last year to protect his family after the militia killed his uncle.
"They shot him in front of me," the boy said. "He was begging for his life on his knees."
He spent two months in the forests and learned to shoot alongside eight other children. He saw a boy forced to kill his own father. He fled with a 10-year-old when the militia began producing victims for reluctant recruits to kill.
Some children simply disappeared. One 17-year-old girl was abducted by four men armed with machetes on her way back from school. Her father dared go to their forest hideout and ask after his missing daughter, who sang in the school choir and dreamed of being a doctor.
"They threatened to slaughter me if I took it further," he said, his voice suddenly raw. "I could not protect her."
Her name joined a growing list of missing children in the battered notebook of Job Bwonya of the local Western Kenya Human Rights Watch.
The first kidnapping he recorded was of 17-year-old Joshua, seized in July 2006. When word spread that he was recording cases of disappeared children, 24 families rushed forward. But four weeks later, Joshua's parents, brother and 9-year-old sister were gunned down in the family's cornfield, and the flow of families reporting missing children slowed to a trickle.
So far Bwonya has recorded 42 cases of missing children likely seized by the militia, and has heard of many more. A partial survey of schools a year and a half ago found 650 children had disappeared. Grim newspaper clippings plaster the plywood walls of his windowless office, and anguished testimonies about murders spill from bulging files.
"Families are terrified to talk," he said. "No one can protect them."
Now Bwonya has another worn book with a new set of cases of missing children, this time ones who villagers report were taken by the Kenyan army. He said testimonies from those released by the military indicate at least 22 children have been tortured to death. Bwonya himself fled the country for a couple of weeks after the military came looking for him.
The military in Mount Elgon does not talk to reporters. But Bogita Ongeri, a spokesman for the defense department in Nairobi, denied all allegations of torturing children. He said the army has combed its ranks since claims of torture surfaced but has not found a single soldier guilty of misconduct. The army had treated more than 7,000 people for injuries, he added, but their injuries came at the hands of villagers who spontaneously attacked them as militia suspects.
"No military personnel has been involved in torture," he said. "We do not have any juveniles in military detention centers. They have not been there."
But the children interviewed by the AP said soldiers plucked them out of school or from the streets, tortured them and caged them for days without food or water. Some had to help load dead people onto helicopters that flew out in the direction of the forest and returned empty.
Martin Wanyonyi, another human rights advocate, has records of 70 children in detention, including some whose names were confirmed by the distraught parents of the missing. Wanyonyi said a recent visit to Bungoma prison revealed dozens of tortured children among the 1,400 inmates crammed into cells designed for 400. Some were as young as 11. The stench of sewage permeated the prison, he said, and moans and screams filled the blackness.
He also showed the AP records that documented the injuries of four boys tortured so badly that prison authorities refused to accept them, insisting they be sent to a hospital instead.
In the meantime, Kenya's land issues remain unresolved. And the powerful politicians that villagers and former fighters say lead the militia remain free.
"The conflict in Mount Elgon is but the worst example of the poisonous relationship between Kenyan politics, land grievances and violence," said Ben Rawlence of New York-based Human Rights Watch.
If the children are released, some can trace their families. Others have no parents left after murders by either the militia or the military.
Peace and justice are far beyond the hopes of most families. Mothers say their ears still strain beyond the drumbeat of rain on a tin roof or wind rustling through cornstalks for the sounds of a vanished child's voice.
Some scarred children will eventually limp home along the winding mountain trails. Others never will.
caro no one compares to you. other radio presenters come and go but u r here to stay gal.....thumbs up my kenyan sister.
ReplyDeleteShe is the best there is in radio!i dont't care what you guys say.
ReplyDeleteI THINK CAROL MUTUKO HAS OUTLIVED HERSELF LIKE ALL GOOD THEY HAVE TO COME TO AN END. GAL YOU BETTER QUIT WHILE YOU ARE STILL IN DEMAND. I NO LONGER LISTEN TO KISS FM I FIND IT BORING COZ THERE IS NOTHING NEW ANYMORE
ReplyDeletecaroline bigs ups to you.umefanya kazi mzuri.let those that cant stand you go and drown in the ocean!about her relationship what about it kwani you guys are from mars she is human just like you and me.oprah will always be oprah and caro will always be caro hata at 70 so get used and especially the brother.i will never be caro but i'l always be tabby,30,HIV positive and making a difference in peoples lives.whatch this space!
ReplyDeleteCaro is just the best. As Churchill put it. She is a marking scheme on radio. Keep up girl. Can't you guyz notice that Caroline needs two guyz to keep the show moving?
ReplyDeleteEven when the world will turn against you carol just know Trizer sees you as a mentor.Gal i know you are human made by God and born of a woman count on me always.Though we have never met am striving to meet you and i realy understand the only way is to be as smart and beautiful as you are or maybe more.Am a water Engineering student striving in my field and will accomplish all after i get to see you.you are all i look upon Carol.
ReplyDeleteYou are our Tyra banks. Do not mind about the haters, go girl, we want to see you in parliament come 2012, you need to tame those ogres for us.
ReplyDeleteCaroline is the best woman there is and there will ever be in Kenya. I too used to dislike her when she joined KissFm, but as I got to understand her, I became her greatest fan! I especially loved the way she kept us updated during the electoral violence. I would wake up each morning and switch to KissFm to know whether I was leaving the house or not. Great job Caroline sweetheart. Look at the way she tackles issues head on! She is action packed and a problem solver. I would request her to stand for MP in 2012 in Langata constituency (replace Raila) and also stand for presidency to replace sick Kibaki. We want new young blood in our parliament and Caroline will be one of them. I HOPE CAROLINE YOU WILL READ THIS! WE WANT YOU TO SAVE KENYA. GO GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!1111
ReplyDeleteCAROLINE IS COOL! I LOVE HER OUTGOING PERSONALITY AND EVERYTHING ABOUT HER, SHE IS MY STAR! ABOUT HER SEX LIFE I THINK SHE IS JUST BEING HUMAN AND WHAT IS SO WRONG WITH A MATURE LADY HAVING A RELATIONSHIP? CAROLINE KEEP UP YOUR GOOD WORK!
ReplyDeleteCaroline is a great Gal. Her srong personality will take her places. I don't see whats the fuss if someone is in love with her, in any case she is very beautiful and a go getter and this is all every man would want to have gone are the days when women would relay on men. She can make a good wife,mother etc. I wish her all the best.
ReplyDeleteCarol no matter wat ppl think n say of u one thing remains ur real, n they r just afraid of the fact tht they cant get real gurl as you are.. ur great n whoever doubts tht then mayb flashin himself in the loo or hangin himself wit tp wud jus do great..
ReplyDeleteur my mentor n best friend n would love 2 mt u one day..
love u gal
go carol, go
ReplyDeleteCaroline, you are a great inspiration to many young people, continue with same great spirit and be more candid in your fight for justice for all Kenyans. Keep it up.
ReplyDeleteCarol only appeals to students, especially girls, and this group has limited purchasing power. Kiss FM is definitely not a place to spend your ad shillings unless you're a beauty college or a vendor of cheap alcohol. She's quite arrogant, unapproachable, and yesterday's news compared to Churchill aka Mwalimu King'ang'i. The old hag should retire to the back office and source new talent.
ReplyDeleteHow are you doing,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Kojo. I'm from America (even though my name is Kojo, lol), I was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. Nonetheless I do music in New York. I'm coming to Kenya soon to do some shows and I was hoping that your station would play some of my music so more people would know my songs when I came there. I can send you some of my stuff via mp3 or cd. You can also check out of our lastest and up coming shows here in the states at www.myspace.com/kojo4eva and www.youtube.com/africamotherland
I look forward to hearing from you soon!
Thank you
Kojo
Help us get in touch with Caroline Mutoko by any process: email, phone or address THANKs We are teachers at Mugona Girls Secondary School please call 0725692466 or
ReplyDeleteemail evapiareich@gmail.com
Hi,we are an entertainment group by the name Vibe Entertainment with a very major project.We are therefore requesting you to assist us with the address of Caroline Mutoko either email or mobile contacts cause we want to incorporate her in our project.You can get in touch with us through 0734776170
ReplyDeletecarol ur such an inspiration i pray to God all be well with you m a journalism student and i believe one day ill be like you.i love ua confidence,your great voice and your strong personality.
ReplyDeleteCaroline, to say the truth you are the very best that Media has ever had! Congratulation en may God bless you always as you you continue helping those that come across your way!Love you MOST!
ReplyDeleteLove you Most en always will for all that you do
ReplyDeletecarol game yako iko juu whoever thinks otherwise can go jump or fly a kite
ReplyDeleteCM goes for me anytime. I saw her come to huruma last August for the Slumfest an event of slumcode, very aggressive, down to earth and ofcourse if you aint proud of your achievement - whats the worth. Mob love Caro and hope to see you at the slumfest III, I will attend.
ReplyDeleteHaters go drink alvaro...no wonder we are discussing Caro here and not you - get a life.
send me your email at llankamo@yahoo.com New artist new track (Drago - Sema) so I can send you the track
ReplyDeleteI have interacted with Kiss100 fm for over a year now on a daily basis. I have also listened to the station for about a decade because it is entertaining, informative and patriotic in dealing with the many injustices by the government and greedy politicians to the Kenyan people.
ReplyDeleteSome comments about Caroline Mutoko posted in the internet that I have read are utter rubbish, unfair and completely silly. All the KissFm presenters are real people with the best interests of Kenyans at their hearts and Caroline is not an exception. She is humane, down to earth and caring. The station has done alot in support of Kenyans in dire need, calamities and above all keeping Kenyans informed of the daily happenings in political circles affecting our lives, either in good or bad ways.
We should not bring her personal life into the internet. Thats is between her and her family, friends and colleagues. I salute her, and always will. She is an icon, a role model to my daughters and to all the women of this country. Long live Caroline, long live Kiss100 FM!
Flo says
ReplyDeleteCaro is the bomb she is a role model to many especially to me as iam aspiring to be a journalist keep up ua good work carol you deserve a Nobel prize BRAVO!
Florence cherotich says caroline u r an inspiration to me everytime i listen to u on radio i get inspired as iam a mass communication student u really!! Deserve a nobel prize u r so great n nobody can make u inferior without ua consent.
ReplyDeleteCaro u just the best we love your program thanks
ReplyDeleteGod has blessed you with wisdom carol.people will always be there to talk whatever they feel pleases them...To you it shouldn't count.Am proud of you.
ReplyDelete