Alex Mwakideu

EARLY LIFE

Alex Mwakideu was born on 6 March 1980 in Mombasa and raised in a large, financially constrained family. His parents, Simon Mwakideu (a school cook who sometimes brought leftovers home) and Ruth Mwakideu, both later passed away (his father in 2011; his mother around 2021). He is the lastborn in a big family (he has mentioned his father had 21 children across two wives; his mother had seven). Siblings include Justus, Chrispine, and the late Caroline, Rozina, and Emmy Mwakideu. The family lived in a single room. He attended Fahari Primary, then Mikindani Primary after a relocation, and Shimo La Tewa High School. Due to poverty, his mother could sometimes only pay the admission fee. He did not proceed to university because of lack of funds. Early ambitions included aviation, but fate steered him toward media.

CAREER

Mwakideu’s broadcasting career began almost by accident. A friend asked him to record a short voice-over advert; producers liked his voice and offered him a slot at Baraka FM in Mombasa (around 2000). He started as a news reader, then hosted gospel and sports shows. He worked at Baraka FM for about a decade (2000–2010). He moved to Radio Maisha (2010–2018), where he formed a popular on-air partnership with Jalang’o (Felix Odiwuor). He later joined Milele FM as Head of Radio, helping grow it into a leading Swahili station, and has also been associated with Radio 47 (Cape Media). Over more than 20–22 years on air he has become one of Kenya’s most familiar and influential radio voices. He has worked as a corporate MC, appeared in acting roles earlier in his career, and maintains an active digital presence (TikTok, Instagram, Facebook). He has spoken about the power of radio to educate, inspire, and unite, and about the need for financial discipline after building businesses (including a car-wash venture in Kitengela). He played Clarence in Nafsi (2026).

PERSONAL LIFE

Mwakideu married Mariam Mwemba on 27 December 2014 after a long courtship that began around 2002 (he has said he pursued her for years while already in another relationship; she initially felt he was not settled). The couple have three daughters and share a joint bank account. He is a devoted family man who has spoken about strict but loving parenting, renovating a family home in Nairobi after starting from modest servant-quarter living, and prioritising time with his wife and children. In 2025–2026 he publicly shared that he has been battling mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). The condition developed gradually over years of working in loud studio and event environments. He now wears custom hearing aids (costing approximately KSh 430,000) that have restored his ability to fully engage at work and at home. He produced a short documentary (Hear Me Clearly) about the experience and has said that, given the choice again, he would still choose radio.

Mwakideu is widely regarded as a veteran of Kenyan radio whose journey from a modest Mombasa upbringing to national prominence is frequently cited as inspirational. He continues to broadcast, create content, and share openly about personal challenges such as hearing loss while remaining a visible family man and media figure.