The broadcaster with a golden voice

Joshua Kambwiri

Broadcaster

There are some people who, no matter the circumstances, their contributions in society cannot be forgotten or erased.

Like William Shakespeare writes in Macbeth: “if you cannot leave children, at least leave a legacy for people to remember you with”, Joshua Kambwiri’s story is a legacy that will be told for ages to come.

Trained as a teacher, Kambwiri ventured into radio and excelled, even surpassing those that have the qualifications for the profession.

His weapon of success remains his voice, a gift that has ensured Kambwiri’s livelihood as, apart from working for radio, he has been master of ceremonies at international meetings times over.

“I worked with MBC from 1991 and left in 2012,” is how he starts his story in an interview in his office at Nkhoma Synod Radio where he is station manager.

An assuring smile playing on his face, he continues: “I was just a simple announcer, presenter and producer at the time I joined MBC but I rose to the position of Controller of Programmes for Radio 1 and then Regional Controller for the Central Region. I did not train as a media person as I did teaching courses and, after joining broadcasting, I did various media broadcast courses.”

Before joining MBC, Kambwiri had taught for seven years. But an opportunity came knocking on his door when he was offered a part-time job as an actor and part time producer at the old school’s broadcasting unit.

“There were doing a number of schools programmes and, so for a short time, I was transcribing and producing programmes for them,” he says.

Kambwiri is one broadcaster blessed with a natural baritone. And people born in the 80s will attest to the fact that growing up listening to Kambwiri and the likes of James Chimera, Davies Mussa, Martin Chilimampunga and Mercy Chipeta, was what made them stay glued to their radios.

But what made this qualified teacher to abandon his profession to venture into broadcasting?

“At that time, radio for me was magic; I used to wonder how one could listen to someone’s voice on radio. That drew me closer to it and I had a few idols like Tony Kandiero, who I think was a good news reader. And then there were other guys like Lucius Chikuni, Benson Tembo and Patrick Khoza.

“During the first years, the major challenge was confidence but later on after doing things for some time I got used. People were continuously applauding me for doing a good job and having a good voice,” recalls Kambwiri.

“The fact I rose within the ranks of MBC from the time I joined as a junior announcer to a controller is something I rate as one of my successes. Again, I helped setting up Nkhoma Synod Radio, a Christian station that broadcasts religious content as well as programmes that help in people’s lives such as agriculture and health,” he articulates his achievements.

Other than radio, Kambwiri’s story will be incomplete without mentioning that, over the past two decades, he has been one of the country’s finest masters of ceremonies.

“I have directed government events including those hosted by presidents and also private functions. I have also directed events at inauguration of presidents such as Dr. Bakili Muluzi and the late Bingu wa Mutharika. I have been master of ceremonies since 1995 up to last year. I should be back on the scene soon as i have been sick but I am fit as a fiddle,” he says.

However, he had difficulties pinpointing the function that he will live to remember.

“That is a difficult question. I have done so many functions but perhaps the one that stands out is the one by Malawi Blood Transfusion Service, it touched my life as blood saves a lot of people and for me to be a master of ceremonies at such event means a lot,” he explains.

Talking about the future of Malawi’s broadcast industry, Kambwiri, who is in his fifties, notes that the future looks promising.

“We were mentored by people who had been around, but the current generation does not take time to learn. If we took some time to listen to advice we can do better. However, there is hope of producing big names in the Malawi broadcast industry. I listen to radio and watch television a lot. I can mention a few people who are very promising such as Patricia Sundu and Kumbukani Phiri,” he holds.

Blessed with three children, he is not sure if any of them will pursue a career in broadcasting.

“The third one is young, he is 10 so I don’t know if he will choose a career from what I did. The other two are girls, maybe one might but they are currently pursuing different courses. However, at this stage I am not despondent,” he mentiones.

After all is said and done, Kambwiri wants to be recognised as someone who aimed at making a positive difference.

“I want people to identify me as someone who strove to make things better in whatever I did, I did to the best of my knowledge. I do not want to be remembered as someone who did things wrongly.

“I am happy with what I have achieved, but in retrospect, everybody realises that things could have been done better. However, I am satisfied,” he affirms.