Uncle Fred Obachi Machoka is a successful Kenyan media personality and long-time host of the favourite Roga Roga Radio Citizen show. The self-proclaimed Blackest Man in Black Africa is often on the spot for his age, wife, tribe, salary, wealth, and wiki. Exceeding hits on Uncle Fred Obachi Machoka biography suggest rising fame.
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Fred Obachi Machoka is an army officer turned media sensation with initial influence from the Voice of Kenya. His admirable life story is a making of time and passion aligned with natural talents. Uncle Fred brags a wealth of experience, having worked in various media houses, including KBC and Royal Media Services, for decades.
Fred Obachi Machoka profiles summary
| Real name | Fred Obachi Machoka |
| Nickname | Blackest Man in Black Africa |
| Birthplace | Masabo Village |
| Birthday | September 9, 1953 |
| Age (2023) | 70 years |
| Birth sign | Virgo |
| Tribe | Kisii |
| County | Kisii, Kenya |
| Years active | 1970 to present |
| Career | TV host, Radio presenter |
Fred Obachi Machoka is famous for his 20 years long Sanyo Iko Juu Sanyo Iko Tops show on KBC and close to 20 years long Roga Roga Show on Citizen Radio and Television.
Uncle Fred Obachi Machoka biography with photos
The cowboy radio host has previously shared exclusive details about his family history and early life experiences.
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However, Fred Obachi Machoka wiki is not yet complete with info about his closest relatives, siblings, and parents.
Fred Obachi Machoka childhood
The accomplished Obachi had a positive childhood experience in which he enjoyed the protective care of his parents.
He recalls himself as a tiny schoolboy alongside aged classmates, some of them married and with children.
How old is Uncle Fred Obachi Machoka?
Born on September 9, 1953, Fred Obachi Machoka age is 70 years as of 2023.
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Sources point that Uncle Fred Obachi Machoka year of birth is 1954.
Other records confirm that Uncle Fred Obachi Machoka date of birth is 9th September.
For this reason, the Blackest Man in Black Africa celebrates his birthdays on the 9th of September every year.
Notice that Fred Obachi Machoka place of birthday varies depending on the year, but it is mostly at his Isinya Ranch.
Fred Obachi Machoka education history
The presenter started school at a young age compared to his classmates. He completed primary and secondary studies before joining Kenya Police.
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Fred later resumed college for studies in Advertising and Public Relations.
Uncle Fred Obachi Machoka family background
The presenter spoke to Sorobi Moturi Erastus of Egesa FM about his family history, upbringing, and career journey.
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Elsewhere, he has engaged in several other podcasts with stories of interest about himself.
Fred Obachi Machoka tribe
The Roga Roga Radio host, Obachi Machoka, is of the Kisii tribe from the western parts of Kenya.
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He is of the same ethnicity with top personalities such as CS Fred Matiangi and the retired Chief Justice David Maraga.
Fred Obachi Machoka home
Uncle Fred’s home is within Masabo village in Nyaribari Masaba Constituency, along the busy Kiamokama – Gesusu Road.
Fred Obachi Machoka place of birth is near Masimba market. His homestead is within the vicinity of a road cutting through their village.
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According to Fred Obachi Machoka biography, he shares the same home constituency with renowned Kisii Politicians such as Senator Sam Ongeri, Hon Ezekiel Machogu, and the late Hezron Manduku.
Uncle Fred Obachi Machoka biography, family tree
The radio presenter and TV host is a grandson to Zephaniah Machoka, after whom he received the middle name Machoka.
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Uncle Fred still holds childhood memories of his grandfather blessing him to fly in the skies.
Fred Obachi Machoka parents
Uncle Fred Machoka father, Mzee Mathew Obachi, was a teacher who insisted on discipline. He never spared Obachi and his siblings of their mistakes.
Mzee Mathew Obachi is now 97 years old and still strong. He celebrated his 97th birthday on June 6, 2020.
On the other hand, Uncle Fred Obachi’s mother was a strict disciplinarian who never tolerated her children’s wrongdoings.
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Mr and Mrs Obachi bags credit for raising one of the best radio presenters in Kenya.
Notably, a favourable humble background motivated Uncle Fred Machoka and his siblings to work hard in life.
Fred Machoka siblings, brothers and sisters
The journalist has at least three siblings, including Emeroka Secondary School principal, Laban Nyangarora.
Others include Nyaega, and the United States based Robinson Onchomba, who was formerly a teacher.
Uncle Fred Obachi Machoka biography on wife
Citizen Radio’s Uncle Fred is a family man with a beautiful wife and all grown children.
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Details about his inner circle family members are finally available.
Fred Obachi Machoka wife Sophia
Uncle Fred met Sophia Machoka about 41 years ago. The two lovebirds dated briefly and married in 1979.
Sophia is a highly skilled landscaping woman with a tireless spirit.
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The presenter openly acknowledges Sophia as the strongest pillar behind his ever-demanding career.
Fred Obachi Machoka children
Machoka and his wife Sophia have 4 children, including their firstborn son Santos o. Machoka. Others are Marvin Machoka, Victor Machoka, and Angel Machoka.
The four are now adults and pursuing independent careers.
Also, the Machokas have a couple of grandchildren.
Uncle Fred’s son beach wedding in Mexico
The happy Machoka could not hold the joy of seeing his son Santos marrying the love of his life in a colourful wedding.
The Cancun, Mexico-held wedding between Santos and Carla McQueen attracted friends and relatives from Kenya.
Fred Machoka son Victor Machoka
Also called The Sheriff, Victor is a hotelier by profession in his mid-30s. He is now a managing director of Machoka International Group Ltd, popularly, Fred Machoka Ranch.
Victor is a hotel management graduate from Utalii College Kenya and the famed United States International University.
Besides, he has worked with Mamba Village Restaurant, Kahama Group of Restaurants, Sarova Panafric Hotel, and Avanti Group Ltd.
Uncle Fred Obachi Machoka career history
The Blackest Man in Black Africa started his career in the police force. He joined the General Service Unit in 1970, where he served for only 4 years.
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Working as a GSU Soldier in the Northern Frontier District (NFD), now North Eastern Kenya, was highly life-threatening.
Life as a General Service Unit officer
Uncle Fred mainly worked in high-risk areas such as Wajir, Garissa, and Mandela before luck fell on his yard.
Working as a lead GSU officer in the department of communication exposed Uncle Fred to several skills.
In 2015, Machoka spoke to Jeff Koinange on NTV about the scary part of his job.
Furthermore, he told a painful story on how close GSU officers died while fighting against the notorious Al-Shabaab militants.
Special skills from the forces
Machoka still recalls the coded language and other specialized skills he learned while serving within the General Service Unit.
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He has spoken about the ability to communicate miles away using a torch.
Also, he can read encoded telegraph texts, telex messages, and Morse Codes, which are all part of the security details.
Luck with Sanyo Juu Sanyo Tops
Uncle Fred was a huge radio fan during his time in the police force.
At one time, he heard about the “Sanyo Juu Sanyo Tops” competitions on the Voice of Kenya, now Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC).
Uncle Fred decided to give it a try, and luckily, he won. While picking the prize, the Sanyo Show producer loved his voice and challenged him to give broadcasting a shot.
In charge of The Sanyo Juu Santo Tops show were former KBC Presenters such as Saidi Omar Kazungu and Mohamed Ramah.
Success with Sanyo electronics adverts
Sanyo was a staggering brand in the Kenyan market when Uncle Fred transferred from the military to become a broadcaster.
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It only took three years for Sanyo to replace Panasonic as a leading electronics brand in the country. Uncle Fred deserves a fair share of this success through his engaging adverts.
From a GSU officer to a celebrated media personality
Uncle Fred started his career as a journalist in 1975 with five-minute-long segments even as he prepared to resign from the GSU Unit.
The death of Saidi Omar Kazungu is a misfortune that opened more career doors for Uncle Obachi Fred.
The host presenter died from tuberculosis which was hardly curable at the time. After that, Machoka took over the show as a co-host with Mohamed Ramah.
Going back to school for studies in Journalism
The untrained Machoka realized that he needed professional skills to sail faster as a radio presenter.
It is at this point he enrolled for a course in Advertising and Public Relations. The new set of skills attracted even more commercial radio shows.
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Fred’s fluent accent in Swahili and love for the Lingala – Rhumba music became an added advantage in his career progress.
Kenya Broadcasting Corporation careers
Apart from the celebrated Sanyo Show, Uncle Fred hosted more shows, including Music Time and Talk of Time.
Popular shows by Fred Obachi Machoka
- Roga Roga on Citizen TV and Radio
- Mchanganyiko Maalum Na Bitcham
- Ugua Pole Na Lucozade
- Sportsman Ni Sawa Hasa
Obachi holds a legacy of hosting at least 20 radio shows sponsored by high-profile companies.
Starting FM 35, Fred Machoka at 35
Uncle Fred took his interest in commercial broadcasting to another level in 1988 by starting FM 35 Promotions Limited.
The PR and advertising company is still operational in Ramco Court along Mombasa Road, Nairobi.
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The list of Fred Obachi Machoka advertisements in various media houses is endless.
Starting Roga Roga Citizen TV in 2002
Uncle Fred joined the newly opened Citizen Radio with help from Fred Afune and inspiration from Charles Nyaga.
His entry came when S.K Macharia’s Citizen Radio sought to gain a competitive advantage against Metro Radio and Tony Musalame’s weekend show on KBC.
Before long, the ratings of Roga Roga Show overtook those of Metro Radios’ “Shaki Legi Show,” meaning shake your leg.
Uncle Fred’s Roga Roga show focuses on music videos from legendary Rhumba and Lingala musicians.
The show mainly features Kenyan artists and their counterparts from Congo, Paris, and France, among other states.
The influential Roga Roga Show is still running about two decades later. It comes on Citizen Television every Saturday.
Why the Blackest Man in Black Africa?
Uncle Fred picked the phrase “Blackest Man in Black Africa” from a traumatizing experience he observed in his childhood.
Having a darker skin tone suffered many of his friends to quit school because of the black label against them.
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Many of them lost their self-esteem following repeated “black” abuses. Both teachers and friends down played the dark skin colour.
As soon as he became a celebrity, Obachi started normalizing the black skin tone by cultivating melanin confidence.
He is confident that those who identify with a black skin tone will no longer feel marginalized after listening to his show.
Uncle Fred Obachi Ranch in Kajiado
The long-time radio gangster is the owner of a multi-million ranch within the outskirts of Nairobi City County.
Fred’s Ranch location
The 15-acre ranch sits on the beautiful escarpments of Kisaju, Isinya in Kajiado County, along the multi-lane Kitengela – Namanga Road.
Fred’s Ranch & Resort services and amenities
The modern ranch is excellent in preparing barbecue cuisines from different parts of the world. Even better are funfair activities such as quad biking, horse riding, and farm excursions.
A well-maintained playground for children and picnic lovers also tells the same story.
Victor Machoka is the managing director of this exciting getaway ranch with a serene view of its surrounding.
Fred’s son shocked many when he turned down a well-paying job to concentrate on developing the ranch.
The exciting history of Fred’s Ranch
Fred brought the plot for his ranch in 1993. He acquired it at the cost of Ksh. 47,500 per acre.
Choosing to take the risk with this deserted piece of land did not make sense to his friends at the time.
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Uncle Fred bought 50-acre land and took a loan of Ksh. 1.5 million to initiate his dream on the property.
Struggles with AFC loan of Ksh. 1.5 million
Things did not work out well because of excessive loan interests. He recalls struggling to pay back the loan, which eventually accumulated to Ksh. 7.5 million.
The desperate Obachi sold off 30 acres to clear the loan and develop the remaining 20 acres.
Fred Obachi Machoka house
In 2005, Fred relocated from Nairobi to his Kajiado ranch, intending to give the project closer attention.
Fred Obachi Machoka Farm is purely organic with a sufficient supply of borehole water.
The champion presenter describes the farm as a therapeutic experience in his life.
Fred’s Ranch a tourist attraction
The ranch launched officially in 2016 and has so far played host to top dignitaries such as Raila Odinga and his NASA brigade.
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President Uhuru Kenyatta has also visited the ranch before. Others who have opened the ranch doors are Daniel Ndambuki Churchill, Willis Raburu, and Willy M Tuva.
Uncle Fred Obachi Machoka wedding anniversary
Sophia and his husband, Fred Obachi Machoka, celebrated their 40th marriage anniversary on December 7, 2019.
In attendance at their vow renewing wedding were close friends and family members. The wedding rolled out gracefully at his cowboy-themed resort and ranch.
Governor Alfred Mutua and his gorgeous wife Lillyanne Ng’ang’a are among those who attended the classy wedding.
Fred Obachi Machoka salary
The salary of Fred Obachi Machoka is likely in the six-figure category.
However, he has not shared much about monthly earnings from Royal Media Services.
Uncle Fred Obachi Machoka biography is yet to include exact figures from his payslip.
Uncle Fred Obachi Machoka net worth
Machoka is a multi-millionaire with a fortune of businesses and high-end properties.
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Fred Obachi Machoka wealth mainly streams from his salary at RMS and ranch.
Also, he is likely pocketing good profits from his fast-growing advertising business, FM 35.
Fred Obachi Machoka dead rumours
Attention-seeking blogger Donald Onyango confused netizens in 2017 with fake news pronouncing Uncle Fred Machoka dead.
Many panicked only to find out that Fred Obachi Machoka of Citizen Roga Roga Show was healthy and alive.
Fred cleared the air much later, warning social media users, especially those on Facebook, against fake news.
Is Uncle Fred Obachi Machoka dead?
NO! The veteran radio presenter is alive, strong, and up to his duty as a journalist.
The Citizen TV journalist is still cruising big in the media space.
Fred Obachi Machoka and Ken Rodgers
The multitalented Uncle Fred has travelled the world, met, and interviewed wide screens celebrities.
Among the famous people that Uncle Fred Obachi Machoka has met is the late Ken Rodgers.
The two legends met in 2017 when the Roga Roga host was in the United States.
List of top celebrities Uncle Fred Machoka has met
- Tabu Ley
- Manu Dibango
- Hugh Masekela
- Miriam Makeba
- Brenda Fassie
- Anna Mwale
- Kanda Bongo Man
- Yvonne Chaka Chaka
- Ladysmith Black Mambazo
- Francois Luambo Luanzo Makiadi
Fred Obachi is the force behind Kanda Bongo Man’s historic music tour in Kenya.
Uncle Fred Machoka’s mentors and role models
Fred looks up to prominent journalists such as Leonard Mambo Mbotela and Mohamed Juma Njuguna.
Fred Obachi Machoka biography also confirms that Hassan Mazoa, Elizabeth Akinyi, Stephen Kikumu, and Salim Mohamed are still his role models.
Uncle Fred Obachi Machoka contacts
- Phone number: 0206003749
The Roga Roga boss is a down-to-earth Kenyan celebrity who listens even to the humblest of all. Reach him with a business deal or related inquiries.
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Four years in the military and close to five decades of journalism have both earned the Blackest Man in Black Africa a deserved reputation. And now, Uncle Fred Obachi Machoka biography is an evidence of a life well-lived.