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What could Sh42,000 buy in 1993? Well, that was Maina Kageni’s first salary — and it came with a company car
Celebrated radio personality Maina Kageni has opened up about his first job, revealing how he landed a well-paying role immediately after high school, complete with a salary of Sh42,000 and a company car.
Speaking during a fast-paced conversation with entertainment journalist Kalondu Musyimi, the Classic 105 breakfast host took a nostalgic trip down memory lane — reflecting on his early career, school journey, and love for cars.
A first job with big perks
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Straight out of high school in 1993, Maina secured his first job at a credit card company known as Royal Card.
The company belonged to his uncle, media mogul S.K. Macharia, and Maina was tasked with handling receipts — a crucial part of operations at the time.
“I used to deal with the receipts in a credit card company called Royal Card. It belonged to SK Mashari my uncle,” he said.
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Despite being fresh from school, the job came with impressive perks.
“I think I was on 42 Gs or something. But I had a company car. Yeah. A little Daihatsu Dudu,” Maina recalled.
In 1993, a salary of Sh42,000 was considered quite substantial, enough to afford an upper-middle-class lifestyle, especially when topped up with a free car.
A short-lived university dream
Maina also opened up about his academic journey, which was filled with impressive achievements and youthful missteps.
He studied under the British GCSE system and excelled despite struggling with some subjects.
“I did GCSE, but it was not for me. I was not wired for that kind of cramming,” he shared.
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His favourite subject? History — particularly because of topics like the French Revolution. But Mathematics didn’t win any points with him.
“I was amongst the top five students in Kenya in my year,” Maina proudly revealed.
After high school, Maina was set to join university in the United Kingdom. However, his plans were derailed before they even began.
“Now, college is a whole story because I actually went to the UK to university, but my school fees got stuck between me and entertainment there,” he admitted.
So we had a problem with my mom. I didn’t even attend. I just ate my school fees.
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From Daihatsu Dudu to BMW X6 M Sport
Maina’s love for cars started early, with his first car being the company-issued Daihatsu Dudu during his debut job. But over time, his garage has seen tremendous upgrades.
“How many cars have you owned over time? Since the first one? Twelve,” he said.
Currently, Maina owns three cars, including the one he considers his dream ride.
“I drive my dream car. BMW X6, M Sport,” he said proudly.
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Still grounded despite success
Despite his success, Maina keeps a grounded routine. He wakes up at 4:30 a.m., is close to his mother whom he calls his best friend, and remains deeply passionate about his work in radio.
“No two days are the same. So every day is a new adventure,” he said about being on air.
He also spoke fondly about his co-host Mwalimu Keng’ang’i, who he said makes waking up and doing the show alongside worth it.