Isaya Bwabi, a former security guard who once earned about Ksh8,000 a month guarding premises in Nairobi, has risen to become an accredited journalist and international media practitioner after receiving support from veteran journalist Alex Chamwada.
Isaya Bwabi hails from Chebukutumi in Sirisia Constituency, Bungoma County, was working as a guard at Kilimani Court when he decided to pursue his dream of joining the media industry.
The court compound housed the offices of Chams Media, where he regularly interacted with media professionals.
After completing his secondary education at Geoff Brown High School and attaining a C- grade in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination, Isaya faced financial challenges that limited his chances of advancing his education.
He later secured employment as a security guard in Nairobi.
Isaya Bwabi’s Life-Changing Meeting with Alex Chamwada
While working at Kilimani Court, Isaya approached Alex Chamwada and asked for help pursuing a career in journalism.
“I approached him to support me in becoming a journalist,” Isaya said.
Chamwada agreed to sponsor his education at the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication (KIMC) Eldoret Campus, covering his tuition fees and upkeep.
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Isaya enrolled in film and video production studies and completed the course successfully.
He graduated during KIMC Eldoret Campus’ third graduation ceremony in December 2023.
After graduating, he joined Chams Media as a videographer and photojournalist.
Since joining the media house, Isaya has expanded his professional skills to include video editing, graphic design, scripting, drone operations and driving.
He has also obtained accreditation from the Media Council of Kenya, allowing him to practise as a professional journalist.
From First Flight to Singapore
His first flight came during a work assignment to Malindi, where he travelled with Chamwada to cover the Galana Kulalu food security project.
According to his own account, he became the first person in his family to board an aircraft.
The assignment was particularly significant because Isaya was still on attachment at Chams Media at the time.
“I flew with my boss Chamwada himself. He trusted me, despite being an attachee, to accompany him as his videographer,” he said.
Since then, he has travelled on several local and regional flights and interacted with senior government officials, development partners and business leaders during various assignments.
Among the people he has met during his journalism career are former World Bank Country Director Qimiao Fan and Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen.
His latest milestone came when he travelled to Singapore with Chamwada for the production of the Daring Abroad Singapore Special Edition programme.
During the trip, the team documented Singapore’s transformation from a developing nation into one of the world’s leading economies.
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While in Singapore, Isaya interacted with economists, industrialists, researchers, tourists and members of the Kenyan diaspora, including author and banker Kinyanjui Kombani, whose book Dear Mama is a set text in Kenyan schools.
Reflecting on his career path, Isaya credited Chamwada for opening doors that changed the course of his life.
“Imagine a former soja (watchman) telling the Singapore story. I used to open the gate for Alex, but he opened a bigger door for me. Where you start does not determine where you will end,” he said.
Veteran journalist Alex Chamwada is one of Kenya’s most accomplished media professionals, with more than three decades of experience in journalism and media production.
Over the course of his career, he has worked with major media organisations including KBC, Royal Media Services and KTN, while also contributing to international media outlets such as Voice of America, CNN and BBC.
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