KTN"s Mohamed Ali- "What you see is what you get"

Mohamed Ali Jicho Pevu full interview with JKL on KTN TV
Mohamed Ali

Mohamed Ali is known for his daring investigative reports. He tells SHIRLEY GENGA about his work-life balancing act

Who is Mohammed Ali?

I am G*d fearing man. I believe in myself, if you do not believe in you who will believe in you? I do my work without expecting favours or praises, I simply do what I do because I love it. There are those who say that I have maringo or that I am arrogant; I think people misinterpret my frank nature as arrogance; with me what you see is what you get with me. If I can help I will help but if I am unable I will tell you to your face. I am not two-faced. That helps me live a very peaceful life.

As an investigative journalist you get to cover a lot of dark and gut wrenching and even hopeless stories, how do you ensure you do not carry them home?

It all started in 2008 and at first the stories I did would haunt me long after I left work. It got so bad that I would have nightmares but I had to teach myself to separate work from my personal life or it would destroy me. These days I know where to draw the line, I know what to carry home with me and what to leave at work.

Who is at home?

My wife and children. I have been married for five years. Marriage is everything, it changes your life completely, in fact its half the religion. I am very protective of my family, I believe in respecting my familys privacy, because I am the one who has chosen this life not my wife or my children I go out of my way to protect them so they can live a normal life.

How do you deal with the threats?At first we were very scared but over time you get used to it and become hardened.

And your wife, how does she take it?

Shes very supportive of what I do. She knows that its not my story that Im telling...that its the peoples story and if it can help somebody then I should go for it. But she does get discouraged. She sometimes asks me, if you are telling them the truth and they dont want to listen, why are you doing this? She gets worried as my wife and as the mother of my children. Sometimes she wants me to do something else.

What was it like to be a dad for the first time?

Holding a baby was a new thing in my life. I was scared to hold her for more than a minute. But when you have a second baby, it gets easier. You understand more about babies and their needs.

What do you think about Valentines Day?

It is a western thing and it is childish. It is not African. Love is 24/7. Every day. Love has no specific date.

Give us a little of your work history?

Source: http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/evewoman/article/2000202883/ktn-s-mohamed-ali-what-you-see-is-what-you-get