EXCLUSIVE: Tracing the chemistry, friendship between NTV anchors Fridah Mwaka and Lofty Matambo
They refer to each other as ‘pacha wangu’ (my twin).
They grace the NTV screens speaking and completing each other’s sentences in the Swahili language.
They anchor news together and even host shows on NTV together.
As a result, many have come up with names to refer to the duo, Fridah Mwaka, and Lofty Matambo.
To some, they are involved in a romantic relationship to others it just works.
But how did the two meet? In an exclusive interview with Nairobi News, Lofty sheds light on the first time he met Fridah and how their relationship to being sensational journalists came to be.
Lofty discloses that the two met in Mombasa in 2014 through a mutual friend.
“Fridah had told the brothers that she was seeking an opportunity in media,” he revealed, “By good luck when we were meeting, there was an opportunity at KTN for The Presenter.”
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Lofty then shared the details needed and even coached her. He recalls that even the day Fridah was traveling to Nairobi for the interviews, Lofty stayed up all night perfecting her skills.
Though she never succeeded, Lofty notes that they still kept in touch but not that much. When an opportunity presented itself again in KTN to take over from Mashirima Kapombe, the two got an opportunity to work together through different segments.
He admits that mentoring Fridah was easy as she was very cooperative and attentive. “She would ask even which phrases would suit the intro and outro of the news bulletin. So many times she referred to me as her editor even though then I was not. She even predicted that one day I would be her editor, a prediction that came to pass,” he says in admiration.
However, when NTV was hiring, the two ditched KTN and for the first time started working together on set, anchoring news. “I’m so proud of her so much that when I’m asked about her I’m glad to give the story,” he notes.
While it has been a mentor and mentee relationship, Lofty shares that they have been able to accomplish so much together and even get side gigs and businesses.
“Love has taken precedence in almost everything in life and when a man and a woman are seen together the first thought people have is that they are romantically involved, ” he said trashing remarks of them dating.
“We have been friends even before being on air and has sunk deep down so much that our friends and families know each other,” he explains.
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