Why John Kenny Adeya Began Kampala Edge Times In 2018

Who is John Kenny Adeya?

John Kenny Adeya is a passionate Ugandan journalist, writer, and the founder of Kampala Edge Times magazine. He refers to himself as the ‘Son Of Thunder’. Adeya expressed that he anticipated facing challenging times but also believed they wouldn’t deter him. He also mentioned, “I firmly believe in the notion that life is predestined and I am confident about making a global impact on millions of lives in the future. My life coach is the former NTV CEO, Ms. Aggie Asiimwe Konde.”

Who Are The Parents And Family Of John Kenny Adeya?

John Kenny Adeya is the son of Mr. Ochieng Hannington (Ph.D.) and Naiga Monica. He mentioned that his biological mother had passed away when he was just a toddler, and her name had been Nakku Robinah. John Kenny pointed out that he is the 3rd born in a family of 2 sisters and 5 brothers. With his immediate sibling being Jacob Humphrey Oyo. He explained that he was born in Jinja, although they had later moved to Tororo, their ancestral home, as he identifies with the Japadhola group. Watch the full interview where John Kenny was interviewed at UBC TV on the Chilling Show below.

What languages does he speak and who does he work with?

John Kenny said, “I speak English most fluently, followed by Luganda and Japadhola. My colleagues in the professional world include Brian Muhumuza, the founder of Bryan Morel Public Relations, Martin Rowinski, a notable writer at Forbes, and Dr. Rod Berger who hosts the HeadRoom podcast weekly. Others are Mugisha Gibson, founder of Mugibson, Mayende Collins, Amalai Emmy Smilez, Stella Nante, Allan Kutos, Jane Mukisa, Darago Ibra Kayima, Martin Tumusiime, and several others.”

When was John Kenny Adeya Born?

John Kenny Adeya was born in Jinja on 6th November 1999, although they moved to Tororo where they belong. He attained his lower primary education at St. Henry’s Educational Centre from 2005 to 2009 (P1-P5). Then upper primary at Rock View School from 2010 to 2011 (P6-P7. Thereafter he proceeded to secondary school from 2012 to 2017 (S1-S6) at Rock High School. John Kenny Adeya doesn’t consider himself a star; instead, he considers himself an influential person to a lot of young people.

How He Fell In Love With Storytelling And Writing

“My childhood friend, Larry used to draw pictures of SuperStrikas in class and they looked so cool. Before he knew it, I also started drawing and I enjoyed it. I loved drawing, and the whole notion of rubbing and shading gave me goosebumps. However, the family I lived with was mostly turned off because it looked unserious,” he told Kampala ET. The now journalist could spend hours drawing, but then, that’s when he discovered the idea of writing stories similar to the pictured story books he had. Fast forward to A level (2016), John Kenny Adeya won an election at school as a newsreader. Adeya always wrote the news down and his mentor, Madam Faith Okongo did the editing to ensure it was presentable. “That lady means a lot to me,” John Kenny confessed, “because she even edited my personal story books that I secretly wrote in high school.”

Where does he discover journalism as a career?

He then went to study journalism at YMCA Kampala and that’s how he fell in love with the writing field. John Kenny created a YouTube channel in 2018 and named it Kampala Edge Times where he uploaded random videos he created. In 2020, he won an award worth $1000 for creating a video against corporal punishment from the US Alliance. This is what he invested to get to where he has gotten! Most of all, he appreciates the team at Kampala edge times for the hard work, especially Mayende, Amalai, and Namwera Faith.

Also Read: Amalai Emmanuel | Writer From Tororo Shares His Life Story

Has John Kenny written any books before?

John Kenny Adeya fell in love with storytelling because he enjoyed watching series and soap operas. One series known as Behind Closed Doors used to air on NTV when he was just 13, but it pushed him to start writing his storybook. “I enjoyed writing these scrapbooks and somehow it always made him pass his English tests very highly. Nobody understood what I was doing, but I did. I knew the power of writing from that moment,” Adeya reveals.

How someone puts together a story from thin air to a whole series of visible events captivating millions of eyes. That is the same power God Himself possesses! Meanwhile, his love for writing dates back to when he was just 7 years old under compassion international where they were given nice story books to read. He loved these short stories and it made him wish to learn how to write. His first article (toxic habit of putting people on a Pedestal) on Kampala edge times was after his depression after a girl hurt his feelings.

Brands Associating with John Kenny Adeya

John Kenny Adeya associates with several brands including Eiffel Models Ug, Bryan MOREL PUBLICATIONS, and Daily Monitor. He also works with Doreen Kabareebe, Mugibson, Kampala Edge Times, Purple Skillz, UBC, and Leadafi. Additionally, John Kenny created the website for Sombecky Foundation, a single mothers’ non-profit organization started by Rebecca Maneno Namatovu.

What he loves about himself

What John Kenny Adeya loves most about himself is his resilience! “I have faced a lot of criticism, shame, humiliation, failure, and fear, but I never got destroyed. I guess God gave me an original heart and soul,” says the persistent content creator

Toughest moment

His toughest moment was when he won a lot of money and everybody who he didn’t share with said that he was a bad person. “My own family wasn’t happy with how he shared the funds,” he reveals, “and this depressed me. That feeling of looking bad just because you kept a small portion of what you worked for to yourself. It caused a lot of misunderstandings with family and friends. So I had to invest the little he had in a brand that should forever change the history of Uganda.”

Hobbies

John Kenny Adeya enjoys listening to English music especially Taylor Swift and Calvin Harris. He loves writing (yes, it’s his hobby) and he enjoys discovering new things in the world.

John Kenny’s Biggest Achievement

His biggest achievement was winning the 1000 USD at the US Alliance social media contest during the lockdown. This was so wonderful because we never struggled during such a terrible time. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or follow Kampala Edge Times on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Where Do We See Him In 5 Years?

“In the next 5 years,” says John Kenny, “I see myself running the biggest online magazine in East Africa with the best writers and social personalities. I intend to alter the perception of Africa from being the needy boring chimpanzees to the home of great names, streets, cities, and events! I want Kampala edge times to become our New York Times.”

What does it feel like working at your capacity?

Surprisingly, John Kenny said, “It is very hectic to work in his capacity. That’s because I keep learning from my mistakes on a live website and profile. Secondly, most people think that when you work using a laptop, you are living a luxurious life, NO, you ain’t. Managing a website is one of the most complicated things you can choose to do. On the other hand, it feels good because your progress rhymes with your achievements, because, heck, they are publically visible!”

John Kenny Adeya’s advice to the youth.

His advice to all young people is: “Start doing it NOW! There has never been a better time for you to start building that castle you want to lay in. Putting one foot in front of the other will take you surprisingly far!”