Today the young man who wanted to become among the few neurosurgeons in Kenya, is the Digital and Innovation Editor at Nation Media Group’s NTV.
In a recent interview with Nairobi News, Mwangi spoke about his childhood, struggle with self-esteem and about breaking his virginity on the night of his wedding.
“I was born in Eastlands’ Umoja phase 1 but moved to Woodley after two years. Mum was a teacher at Moi Girls Nairobi, so we spent our lives at the staff quarters until she passed on in 2011,” said Mwangi.
The second born in a family of three boys says his parents were not strict, however they were firm with their principles.
As a child, Mwangi was very playful and that got him into trouble with his mother as he would come home dirty and most of the time without his shoes that were always used a goal post for the football matches.
The man who now uses spoken word poetry as an avenue for change and to articulate his principles but he grew up with low self- esteem.
“I thought I was not good enough for anything and I found myself trying so hard to fit in. While in class six I pierced my ear, drunk alcohol and smoked cigarette all in the name of fitting in,” he said.
He added, “I never saw myself seating for my KCPE, I never thought I would amount to much. Interestingly I remembered that thought when I was doing KCPE, when I was doing KCSE, when I was doing my 4th year final paper at Kenyatta University.”
On February 20, 1999 while at Lenana School, Mwangi got saved and found his worth in his faith.
The father of two beautiful daughters found himself in the media industry through his art.
By the time he joined Kenyatta University he was already a member of a music group known as Mission Driven.
In the group, he was a professional dancer and a stand-in rapper.
He started performing at gigs where he met Julie Wang’ombe, the daughter of then Group Chief Executive Officer of Nation Media Group Linus Gitahi.
Julie was however underage at the time so her father would accompany her to the night events and that is how Gitahi and Mwangi met.
“When I invited him (Mr Gitahi) for my thanksgiving for my graduation, he said he might not be available, but he asked if I would like to join NMG graduate trainee class,” Mwangi added.
However, because he was not sure what the training was all about, Mr Gitahi asked the HR to reach out to Mwangi and explain to him about the training.
Mwangi would later join Nation Media Group journalism training programme, the Media Lab.
“I think they saw this guy can write, he can tell a story, it’s a matter of now teaching him how to structure it. I however did not want to be on TV but the HR said no. I was told I would be a TV reporter,” Mwangi said.
After the media lab he got a three-month probation at NTV and the then Managing Editor Linus Kaikai sent him to business desk with a promise to review his progress after one month and move him to the political desk.
“He told me to begin with business and after one month is over, I was to go back so that he can review and see where I fit best. I am a performing artist and business desk doesn’t work on weekends, let’s just say I have never gone back to Kaikai until today,” Mwangi said laughing.
In terms of relationship, Mwangi got married to Wangechi Muthaigi in 2015.
Way before their relationship, and Mwangi was single, Wangechi was his secret crush.
As fate would have it both their previous relationship ended, and they kept working together something beautiful started growing between them.
“There was nothing at the beginning because she was dating, I was dating however we could meet during events because she was part of Zidi The Band.We started doing some joint projects, each of us still in our own relationships. After sometimes we both became single and everyone around us kept saying we should date. I was, however, at that point I was tired with the relationship,” he added.
Years later her name is engraved on Mwangi’s wedding ring as his wife, for life.
Mwangi also made a startling confession ……that he was a virgin until his wedding day.
“I married my wife while I was a virgin. It’s something I purposed to do, to wait until am married,” he added.
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