Inooro FM, Kenya’s premier Kikuyu-language radio station, is celebrating its 23rd anniversary, marking more than two decades of vernacular broadcasting since its official launch in 2003.
The Royal Media Services-owned station, known by its signature tune “Mũũgi ni Mũtaare” (“The wise accept counsel”), continues to command a major presence across Kenya’s media landscape. Recent industry audience surveys show that Inooro FM accounts for more than five percent of the nation’s total radio listenership, reaching an estimated daily audience of over two million listeners across the Mt. Kenya region, Nairobi, the Rift Valley, and beyond.
Named after the traditional Kikuyu sharpening stone used to hone iron tools, the station’s branding reflects its core editorial mission: sharpening the minds of its audience through informative news, talk shows, cultural programming, and current affairs.
Over its 23-year run, Inooro FM has built a loyal following through a structured weekday and weekend lineup, including, Hagaria, the long-running flagship breakfast show hosted by Head of Radio Jeff Kuria; Thĩrĩrĩka & Kũrikĩria, mid-morning and lunchtime programming focusing on community discussions, health, and civic education; Cũa Cũa, the station’s afternoon drive-time show; Keera, late-night broadcasting catering to night shift workers and late listeners, and Ngogoyo, the Sunday classic music show running from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., bringing together multi-generational audiences for traditional and throwback Kikuyu music.
To support its reach, the station operates an extensive FM frequency network across key hubs, including Nairobi (98.9 FM), Murang’a (96.9 FM), Nyeri (97.8 FM), Embu (102.0 FM), Meru (95.1 FM), Nakuru (88.9 FM), and Eldoret (107.0 FM).
Reflecting on the station’s trajectory, Head of Radio Jeff Kuria, who joined the station on January 26, 2007, paid tribute to the presenters, technical staff, advertisers, and leadership figures who established the station’s foundation.
Kuria made special mention of key figures in the station’s history, including the late pioneering presenter Kihara wa Gathua, as well as former Head of Radio and current Githunguri Member of Parliament, Gathoni wa Muchomba.
“Presenters are very important people, and our listeners are equally important, because if they do not tune in to Inooro FM, we would simply be off air,” Kuria noted during the anniversary gathering, recalling that the station’s very first classified advertisement during his tenure came from Kiriri Women’s University in 2007.
Deputy Head of Radio and veteran broadcaster Benjamin Wangari also acknowledged the role of external contributors, including analysts, medical professionals, scholars, and political leaders, who regularly appear on air to educate the public.
“We invite guests to contribute to our programs, and they have never failed us,” Wangari said. “We can never thank them enough for voluntarily lending their expertise to empower our listeners.”
As Inooro FM enters its 24th year of operations, the station continues to navigate a competitive vernacular broadcast market in East Africa, balancing traditional terrestrial FM delivery with growing digital streaming platforms to retain its regional reach.