President Uhuru Kenyatta’s family has made notable investments in various industries, including real estate, agribusiness, hotels, and media. The Kenyatta family is linked to TV Africa Kenya Holdings, the company that owns Mediamax networks such as Kameme FM, K24 TV, and Milele FM, as per registration paperwork from Kenya’s Communications Authority. According to Business Daily, the Kenyatta family purchased the K24 and Kameme brands from David and Rose Kimotho, who had previously established Regional Reach Limited, an advertising firm.
Regional Reach Limited began by purchasing 200 television sets, strategically placed in rural areas to showcase products during screenings. However, the company’s breakthrough into mainstream media came with the launch of Kameme FM, a vernacular radio station targeting the rural population of Central Kenya, which was believed to have cost the couple Ksh40 million to establish. Despite Kameme FM’s initial success, the industry was disrupted by the emergence of other vernacular stations such as KBC’s Coro and Royal Media’s Inooro, which poached Kameme FM’s most popular presenters and shifted the audience landscape.
Faced with a challenging business environment, Regional Reach Limited decided to diversify its portfolio by entering the television industry, and thus K24 was born. K24 was supposed to be the first vernacular television channel, broadcasting in Kikuyu 24/7. However, due to increased political action following the 2007 General Election and the negative impact of the PEV on the economy, the company’s sales fell, and in 2009, David and Rose had to sell to the Kenyatta family-linked TV Africa Kenya Holdings.
Despite the fact that the airwaves are owned by Africa Kenya Holdings, the stations are managed by Mediamax Network Ltd, another Kenyatta family company. The company has since expanded to include Kameme TV, multiple vernacular radio stations across the country, and Milele FM, a Swahili-language radio station. Rose Kimotho was named CEO after the assets were transferred to the Kenyatta family business and stayed until 2011, when she founded 3 Stones TV. David, on the other hand, traveled to Uganda and was appointed General Manager of WBS TV before returning to head his own company, Jayda Entreprises.
