Shatta Bway reveals why he once despised journalism

Radio presenter Steve Jacob Maunda, widely known as Shatta Bway, has opened up about his difficult childhood and revealed why he once despised journalism, despite growing up as the son of celebrated news anchor Jacob Maunda.

Shatta, whose late father was a respected news presenter, said he never imagined that he would one day pursue a career in journalism.

In fact, he said, journalism was something he grew up disliking because his father’s profession often shaped how teachers and people in their community viewed him and his siblings.

“I never imagined I would be a journalist; I even never thought about it. In fact, I despised it, sikuipenda,” Shatta recalled during a candid conversation with media personality Roberta Bobbie.

He explained that being the son of a journalist was sometimes used against him, especially at school, where teachers assumed that his family was financially comfortable because of his father’s profession.

“Because, my dad being a journalist, it was something being used against me,” he explained.

Humble background

Shatta recalled growing up in difficult circumstances, saying his family sometimes struggled to afford basic necessities.

“We were living in a mad house, going to school barefoot, sometimes with torn uniforms. So in school teachers do not know our life; they know our father, and they believed we had everything at home,” he said.

The situation also affected his schoolwork.

According to Shatta, there were days when he could not complete his homework because the family did not have kerosene. Returning to school with unfinished work often meant facing reprimands and punishment from his teachers.

“Some days I was unable to complete my homework because we lacked kerosene, and going back to school with incomplete homework, the teacher would reprimand and punish me,” Shatta stated.

His father’s public profile also made it difficult for him to escape attention at school.

Shatta remembered instances when a teacher would bring a radio to class and tune in to listen to his father presenting the news before turning the attention to him.

“Kuna time mwalimu angekuja na radio alafu asikilize baba yangu akisoma news, then they make me the story of the class,” he recalled.

At home, Shatta said they did not even own a radio. He would instead listen to his father’s broadcasts through radios belonging to neighbours.

“I used to listen to my father on neighbours’ radios; we did not own a radio at home,” he added.

Mockery remarks

The attention extended beyond school.

He recalled how people in the local market would identify him and his siblings as the children of a news anchor, even when their appearance did not reflect the image of comfort people associated with their father’s profession.

“People at the market would see us walking around not well dressed and point at us, saying, ‘Those are the broadcaster’s children,'” the radio presenter stated.

Despite the challenges, Shatta said his family found ways to navigate the difficult circumstances, and the experiences eventually shaped how he viewed journalism.

“It was not easy, but we manoeuvred, and because of that, I started feeling like people were picking on me because of journalism,” he said.

Dream career

As a result, journalism was never part of his childhood ambitions. Shatta said he had other dreams and once hoped to become an Air Force pilot.

Ironically, despite growing up resenting the profession associated with his father, Shatta would eventually find himself working in radio.

“So I did not grow up thinking that at one point I will ever be a journalist; I wanted to be an air force pilot,” Shatta disclosed.

His journey into broadcasting therefore represents a striking contrast to his childhood experience, a profession he once wanted nothing to do with, eventually becoming part of his own career.

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