A 17-year-old innovator is grabbing headlines for setting up his own radio station in Mbita, Homa Bay County.
Steve Biko Odhiambo, a form three student at Fr Tilen Secondary School, assembled a radio transmitter and a station using locally sourced materials like old motherboards and other electronic gadgets.
He set up the station at an abandoned water kiosk in the village, where he broadcasts and presents a number of shows. Known as Konzer FM, the station covers a radius of 26 kilometers.
In a feature by NTV, Biko said this wasn’t his first attempt at starting a radio station.
“I started my first radio station when I was in Class 4. The sound quality was poor because I was not using a multimeter despite projecting 200 milliwatts of power. I had to abandon it because the sound quality was poor,” he said.
Fr Tilen Secondary School principal Martin Opere lauded Biko for the innovation and called on local leaders to support him.
“He had enough time during the Covid-19 pandemic to assemble the station if we can get our leaders to support him at this level that would be wise.
“Sometimes you hear people saying that the Communications Authority of Kenya could have him arrested, but then he is under 18, he is not doing it to benefit him financially,” he argued.
Watch the video below.
