Eugene Anangwe has made himself a household name in the field of journalism, especially in broadcast media. His daring and bold character sets him apart, his determination to grab any opportunity that comes his way, is one of the traits he articulates to his success today.

"I am just an outgoing person who sees an opportunity and doesn’t just let it go. Some people have mistaken me for a person who wants to be everywhere and do everything but that’s not it, it’s just me; I am an all-round person who will sense an opportunity and go for it,” he says.

Being a journalist has always been his childhood dream that was inspired by his late uncle who used to work for Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) and that paired with great leadership skills has opened him doors to triumph.

"I was a prefect throughout my school life; this boosted my confidence in public speaking, every time I gave a speech at the assembly, students and teachers would applaud me, this encouraged me and I felt like my gift of public speaking should be taken to the next level.”

In 2006, while in college, Anangwe got a chance through an internship he was doing at Radio Waumini in Kenya.

He was retained as a news anchor and that was the beginning of his success; it’s been eleven years for him down the road.

His journey to Rwanda

Anangwe came to Rwanda in 2008 after being hired by Contact FM, he became part of a team that pioneered the news in English bulletins at the station.

"That time people would tune in to BBC or Voice of America to know what’s happening in Rwanda or outside. I played a role in opening up the market and turning around the media when it came to current affairs and giving people options for a local radio station,” he says.

His passion alongside determination has kept him going amidst the highs and lows of his career. 

Challenges

"The journey from then on has not been an easy one because initially I had not been in active journalism and there I was going beyond borders, I wondered if I could ever make it, my passion is what really drove me and it keeps driving me up to today.”

The issue of language barrier and self-censorship in terms of getting information were one of the barriers he faced.

He worked with Contact FM from 2008 to 2013, later joined TV10 in 2014 as a news anchor and deputy editor, he later became the program’s manager. In June this year he introduced his famous show, #Debate411 which airs on Rwanda Television and he is also a special correspondent for Kenya Television Network (KTN).

Inspiration behind #Debate411

People’s doubts on the debating abilities of Rwanda triggered his initiative. "There was this belief of a culture where people don’t disagree publicly. I wanted to make people understand that there is a platform for them to express their views and not only expressing but also suggesting possible solutions.”

People should understand that it’s ok to disagree but silence causes issues therefore it’s better to express oneself openly, he adds.

Gap in the media industry

Anangwe says that the media industry is still facing the issue of lack of good content for TV and radio programs.

"People say there is no news in Rwanda; they think that news should always be politics or wars. They should go for feature stories because people out there are doing incredible stuff that are not being reported because they are waiting for the bloody kind of news.”

"On the other hand, there has been a lot of development but we can do better. We are yet to see more female journalists joining the field. I would love to see a Julie Gichuru or Christian Amanpour of Rwanda.”

Secret to success

"Touching areas where people have not explored has created my signature. How I interview people and how I say my name makes a difference.”

Living his dream helped him achieve it.

"If you want to make it, have a dream once you have it don’t continue sleeping, wake up and start living that dream. You want to be a journalist that is your dream but start living like one.”

He says that the field of journalism is not all about having the papers; it’s the practical part that matters because academic qualifications are just the icing on the cake.

Future plans

"If I was to leave Rwanda and am asked how many people you inspired, if the list is zero then I would have failed totally.”

His dream is to have a mentoring project for young and upcoming media personalities.

As per now he holds a diploma in Mass communication and has a plan for enrolling for a bachelor’s degree.

Advice to journalists

"Today’s media industry is changing and that era of advertising for reporters is long gone. The game has changed and journalists have to create the demand, be creative and come up with proposals for shows that stations don’t have. I am saying this because it has helped me.” Anangwe advises.