For more than 20 years, Vincent Maloba has listened to the Voice of America in Kenya. He says his father used to be a big fan of VOA’s Swahili Service, and when he was growing up, they would listen to VOA Swahili programs together, as he “mastered the tuning” on his Dad’s shortwave radio.
Vincent Maloba, Beat Cop of the SSOS
Vincent is now a big fan of some of VOA’s English radio programs, including Country Hits USA with Mary Morningstar, African Beat with David Vandy, and Border Crossings with Larry London.
Nairobi 107.5 billboard
Vincent says he tunes in the shows on 107.5 FM in Nairobi, VOA’s 24 hour a day, seven day a week FM station in the Kenyan capital.
When not listening to VOA, Vincent works for an elite unit of the Kenya police charged with security for VIPs, an occupation that helped get him the nickname, “The Official Beat Cop of the Sonny Side of Sports.”
You might say this Kenyan policeman walked a broad beat when it came to his recent 35th birthday. Vincent says he wrote to Mary Morningstar, David Vandy and Larry London, as well as Yours Truly, to let us know about his birthday, and he received BIG BIRTHDAY SHOUT OUTS on four different VOA programs.
Vincent says he will provide me with special protection if I make it to Nairobi someday, but first, he will say “karibu,” which means “welcome” in Swahili. I welcome that occasion, Beat Cop!