Salim Swaleh’s journey from a young boy in Nakuru to a well-known media figure in Kenya is both inspiring and heartbreaking.
Once celebrated for his work in journalism, Swaleh’s recent troubles have cast a shadow over his career and personal life.
Early Life
Salim Swaleh was born in Bondeni, Nakuru County, in a polygamous family.
His father had three wives, and Salim had siblings from both his mother and his father’s other wives.
The family faced financial difficulties, which led to Salim dropping out of Bondeni Primary School after class four.
To support his family, Salim moved to Gilgil to live with his grandmother.
There, he began making and selling chapatis, mandazis, and samosas. By the age of 12, Salim was already contributing to the household income.
When Salim was 14, his mother returned to Nakuru and remarried. This change allowed him to resume his education at Nakuru Primary School, advancing directly to Grade 7.
He scored 365 in his KCPE exams and was dmitted to Menengai High School.
His passion for journalism grew while working with KBC E-learning during high school. After completing his KCSE with a C+, Salim worked as a teacher in Eldoret while waiting to start college.
Career Achievements
Salim’s career in media began at Ghetto FM, where he worked without pay.
His first paid job came at Sauti ya Mwananchi Radio, where he earned KSh 8,000 a month.
His career took a significant leap when he moved to Iran to work for the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting.
While in Iran, Salim enrolled at Tehran University to study Broadcast Journalism, which broadened his media expertise.
Upon returning to Kenya, Salim joined Citizen TV in 2016 and quickly gained recognition as a news anchor and editor.
He then moved to NTV, as a news anchor for the 7 pm Swahili news.
In 2023, he was appointed the Director of Communications in the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.
Family Life
Salim is married to Sharifa from Gilgil. They married while living in Iran and had two children there before moving back to Kenya.
Salim Swaleh Fall from Grace
In June 2024, Salim Swaleh faced a major setback when he was arrested for impersonation, fraud, and abuse of office. He and four others are accused of defrauding a consultancy company of Sh5.8 million. They allegedly posed as government officials and falsely promised to secure a construction contract for two stadiums in Kenya, tricking the company into paying a bribe.
The fraud scheme reportedly involved allowing imposters to enter the Railways Building by pretending to be VIPs or officials and soliciting bribes from foreigners.
These charges have severely affected Salim’s position in the Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi’s office.
In a recent emotional statement, Salim admitted that he broke his employer’s trust and expressed deep regret.
He revealed that the stress and public attention had become so overwhelming that he thought about ending his life.
Jacob Ng’etich has since been appointed to replace Salim Swaleh as the Director of Press Service at Musalia Mudavadi’s office.
By Vivian K.