kymnjoro
Elder Lister
Fredrick Obachi Machoka was born on 9 September 1953 to Priscilla and Matthew Obachi in Kisii District.
He was born fourth in a family of ten children, five boys and five girls.
At a young age, Fred joined Getacho Primary School in Gesusu but was constantly on the move changing primary schools as the family followed his father, a school teacher, wherever he was transferred in the pursuit of his noble profession.
In 1969, Fred went to Sigalagala Technical School in western Kenya before moving to Meru Technical in Eastern Province two years later.
Upon completing his studies, Fred joined the Kenya Police Force in 1972, where he was trained as a signaller and operations communication officer.
He was introduced to the world of broadcasting by sheer accident when he won a radio competition hosted by Peter Colmore, the founder of High Fidelity Productions Ltd., a recording company.
Fred was still with the Police Force when he was given a five-minute slot on the Voice of Kenya (VOK) to promote the 'Sanyo' brand of radios on a program that came to be known popularly as 'Sanyo Juu Sanyo Tops'.
Fred Obachi Machoka became the regular host of the show and soon took over the entire radio program and moved to broadcasting full time when he left the Police Force in 1976.
He continued to work with Colmore on product advertisements and programs including 'Eveready Paka Power', 'Ugua Pole Na Lucozade',, 'Cadbury’s Cocoa'.
It was around this time that he began to describe himself as the Blackest Man in Black Africa due to his dark complexion.
In 1978 Fred briefly worked for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Kiswahili Service.
He hosted the 'Salaam Kutoka Ng’ambo'
sponsored by Western Union.
However, it was the musical program 'Music Time' which ran on the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) from 1987 to 1992 that drew his largest audience.
In 1982, Fred enrolled at the University of Nairobi for a Higher Diploma course on Advertising and Public Relations graduating in 1984, the year he was recruited by the advertising agency, McCann Erickson.
In 1988 Uncle Fred, as he is known to his fans, launched his own public relations and advertising company, FM3 Promotions Ltd. but that has not prevented his continuing collaboration with other media houses.
Beginning in the early 1990s he hosted the 'Talk of the Town', a program featuring interviews with various celebrities, for the Kenya Television Network (KTN).
From 2002 Fred Obachi Machoka has been a regular on Radio Citizen and more recently on Citizen TV (both stations under the Royal Media Services) with his flagship show, 'Roga Roga', arguably the most popular musical program in the country at the moment.
Fred has been happily married to Sophie since 1979 and is the proud father of four: Santos, Marvin, Victor and Angel.
He is also the doting grandfather of Ethan and Jed.
He was born fourth in a family of ten children, five boys and five girls.
At a young age, Fred joined Getacho Primary School in Gesusu but was constantly on the move changing primary schools as the family followed his father, a school teacher, wherever he was transferred in the pursuit of his noble profession.
In 1969, Fred went to Sigalagala Technical School in western Kenya before moving to Meru Technical in Eastern Province two years later.
Upon completing his studies, Fred joined the Kenya Police Force in 1972, where he was trained as a signaller and operations communication officer.
He was introduced to the world of broadcasting by sheer accident when he won a radio competition hosted by Peter Colmore, the founder of High Fidelity Productions Ltd., a recording company.
Fred was still with the Police Force when he was given a five-minute slot on the Voice of Kenya (VOK) to promote the 'Sanyo' brand of radios on a program that came to be known popularly as 'Sanyo Juu Sanyo Tops'.
Fred Obachi Machoka became the regular host of the show and soon took over the entire radio program and moved to broadcasting full time when he left the Police Force in 1976.
He continued to work with Colmore on product advertisements and programs including 'Eveready Paka Power', 'Ugua Pole Na Lucozade',, 'Cadbury’s Cocoa'.
It was around this time that he began to describe himself as the Blackest Man in Black Africa due to his dark complexion.
In 1978 Fred briefly worked for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Kiswahili Service.
He hosted the 'Salaam Kutoka Ng’ambo'
sponsored by Western Union.
However, it was the musical program 'Music Time' which ran on the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) from 1987 to 1992 that drew his largest audience.
In 1982, Fred enrolled at the University of Nairobi for a Higher Diploma course on Advertising and Public Relations graduating in 1984, the year he was recruited by the advertising agency, McCann Erickson.
In 1988 Uncle Fred, as he is known to his fans, launched his own public relations and advertising company, FM3 Promotions Ltd. but that has not prevented his continuing collaboration with other media houses.
Beginning in the early 1990s he hosted the 'Talk of the Town', a program featuring interviews with various celebrities, for the Kenya Television Network (KTN).
From 2002 Fred Obachi Machoka has been a regular on Radio Citizen and more recently on Citizen TV (both stations under the Royal Media Services) with his flagship show, 'Roga Roga', arguably the most popular musical program in the country at the moment.
Fred has been happily married to Sophie since 1979 and is the proud father of four: Santos, Marvin, Victor and Angel.
He is also the doting grandfather of Ethan and Jed.