Meteoric rise
“As a young man in campus, I was not so prudent in managing the proceeds from my business. Apart from my handwritten accounting notes, I have nothing else to show for all my efforts,” laments Mich.
Exit campus businesses and in comes radio and TV, with his first experience on air coming in 1998 through a TV kids quiz show, after which he did several stints being a radio show host, doing a mix of both secular and gospel music. Mich was now on a meteoric rise to the entertainment world, thanks to his good use of the power of the tongue.
In 1999, the ever-enterprising Mich opened Eclipse, a marketing and event management company in Uganda. Over the years, his company has handled major corporate events among them the launch of Qatar Airways in Uganda. In addition, he has been contracted to host the Rwandese Community in Uganda. The gala nights that are attended by, among others, Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame.
His vibrant career as an MC has seen him host over 1,500 events in the continent. Some of these include the Deal or No Deal show in South Africa that was patterned after the American programme with the same name. The sky to him, is the limit and he would be glad to host the American Oscars or Grammy Awards if called upon to do so.
“I am a ‘talkaholic’. My mother says that I never cried as a child, but the moment I opened my mouth, I have never shut up,” he quips.
It is this ability to hold the attention of a large audience that landed him into Tusker Project Fame (TPF) as a co-host.
His experience with the TPF show in Kenya is among the highlights of his career as a show host.
“TPF is a show that unifies millions across East Africa. The organisers were looking for someone who is flexible as well as a face that those millions can identify with. I believe I have brought such a personality and flavour to the show,” says Mich.
For one to succeed in such a show, Mich advices anyone willing to take on such a heavy responsibility to be real saying that Kenya and Africa at large now have a dynamic and educated audience. According to Mich, such a person must be willing to handle criticism in a dignified manner, regardless of how it comes.
Sensitive audience
“You see, people are now on so many electronic social networks such as Tweeter and Facebook where feedback on your stage performance is instantaneous. One slight mishap on air and you set off a flurry of responses from the masses. These are not the days when such feedback came from a contracted company that would take weeks to compile,” warns Mich.
