Wa Kirumba: I was a naughty girl in school

Popular radio presenter Muthoni wa Kirumba says she was a naughty girl while in school.

Wa Kirumba said she was suspended a number of times because of drug trafficking and breaking school rules.

In a recent YouTube interview with Dan Wainaina, she encouraged students to be obedient as being naughty never pays.

During the interview, she also disclosed an incident in which she slapped her then co-host Keziah wa Kariuki during a live show, a scuffle that caused both of them to be suspended from work.

She said she was told that her co-host was spreading rumours about her being a drug user and decided to confront Keziah during one of the show’s breaks as the music was playing but got a rude shock when the co-host despised her.

"When we went on air I noticed she was sneering at me. I hate gossip and so I confronted her about it and she shrugged it off. As the music ended, I slapped her since she became rude in her response."

Muthoni was suspended for two weeks, while Keziah was sent home for one week. "I still have the letter with me. I think Keziah was suspended for being beaten but we are good friends today. She was among the first friends I made when I came to Nairobi."

After the suspension, the two continued working together and had a cordial relationship on air.

During the interview, Wa Kirumba also recounted a time she hit a motivational speaker who had come to give an educational talk in her former school.

She said she felt that the man of God was targeting her in her preaching and that angered her.

"I used to grow some cabbages in my garden in school since I was doing agriculture as a subject," she said.

"I came with some in the Christian Union, and as I was listening, the man used examples that were directed at me since he knew I was naughty."

Wa Kirumba said as the man of God was praying, she stood up from the back and hit him with a cabbage and the man ran away.

"I think he thought it was an attack or something," she said.

"We later met and reconciled, although I was punished."

Wa Kirumba thanked her father for never turning his back on her, despite her being a naughty child.