Kirinyaga Woman Representative Purity Ngirici and her husband Andrew Ngirici are now selling their TV and radio Stations following failed business structure that has had zero returns for close to three years now.
In an ad placed on a local daily, the two announced the sale of the two stations, but failed to disclose the names. However, a dig by Kahawa Tungu established that the stations on sale were Mt Kenya TV and Iganjo FM, which have been struggling to generate income since inception.
“Tv station-live broadcast, FM Radio Station with following operating frequencies: Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Eldoret, Nyeri, Nyandarua, Meru, Kisumu and Kericho,” the ad read in part.
The two stations are run through Slopes Media Company.
According to previous media reports, the employees of the two stations only received salaries in full for two months from when they joined the company. Since then, it has been a hustle as the management fails to pay up every consecutive month.
Read: Kirinyaga Woman Rep Wangui Ngirici Confronted By Angry Motorist For Overlapping (Video)
While launching in September 2018, the station poached several journalists from Royal Media Services (Inooro TV and Radio) including Macharia Gachuru, Monica Kagoni, Njambi wa Njau, and Robert Kimani and Mediamax (Kameme TV and Radio).
The Ngiricis are said to have sunk Ksh600 million for the TV alone with hopes of edging out competitors like Inooro, Kameme, Njata, Gikuyu, and Three Stones.
However, the station has been unable to live up to its dreams prompting several journalists to walk out recently, for lack of pay, Kahawa Tungu learns.
In January 2020, several senior journalists left the station including Head of TV Macharia Gachuru, Head of Radio Kihara Gathua, news anchor Liz Gathogo, presenters Agnes Nonsinzi and Kanyi Munene and senior political reporter Mwaura wa Ndung’u.
Read: Kirinyaga Woman Rep Purity Ngirici Gives Waiguru Marital Advise Despite Missing Wedding Invite
It is alleged that in December, 2019, employees only received salaries of about Ksh5,000 each, too little to sustain them. In March-April 2020, top anchors Wairegi Maina, Mumbi, Kagoni Monicah and regional reporters went on go-slow, prompting them to be fired.
In 2019, the company fired several employees without pay for several months. In 2018, the company filed Nil returns with the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), despite having deducted PAYE from employees.
Andrew Ngirici, who has branded himself as a businessman is said to be a class four dropout, and the source of his immense wealth remains a mystery to many.
Read: FlexiAir Threatens To Sue Joho, Kirinyaga Women Rep Ngirici Over Ksh6 Million Debt
At the time of the launch of Mt Kenya Tv, police raided Paleah Stores and impounded 1,365 bags of illegal sugar from warehouses in Eastleigh, Ruiru and Nairobi’s Industrial Area. The stores are connected to Ngirici’s brother.
Mrs Ngirici however claimed innocence, and the case died down.
At the start, Andrew Ngirici boasted of his wealth, and how he would run the station for two years with no advert.
The station of late has been depending on interns to do all the stories as many serious reporters have either left or on go-slow.
At one time, Flexi Air threatened to sue Purity Ngirici over a debt of Ksh5.9 million, that was incurred between May 8 and August 17, 2016 when she leased a FlexiAir helicopter for use on numerous occasions.
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