Veteran radio journalist Leonard Mambo Mbotela is dead
Veteran radio broadcaster Leonard Mambo Mbotela has died at the age of 85
Veteran radio broadcaster Leonard Mambo Mbotela has died at the age of 85.
Veteran broadcaster Leonard Mambo Mbotela has died at the age of 85.
His family confirmed that the legendary journalist passed away in Nairobi on Friday, February 7.
Mbotela is survived by his wife Alice Mwikali Mbotela and three children, namely Aida, Jimmy, and George Mbotela.
Mbotela, a household name in Kenya, was best known for his iconic radio show Je, Huu Ni Uungwana? which aired for decades.
His media journey began in Nakuru, where he worked as a trainee reporter for The Standard newspaper.
In 1964, he joined the Voice of Kenya (now Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, KBC) as a full-time employee.
Two years later, in 1966, he created the program Je Huu ni Ungwana? which addressed social etiquette and manners.
The show became iconic and continued to air on KBC radio for over five decades, making it one of the longest-running programs in Kenyan broadcasting history.
Beyond Je Huu ni Ungwana?, he was also known for his work as a newsreader and sports commentator.
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Notably, he coined the popular phrase Kadenge na mpira during football commentaries, which became synonymous with Kenyan football.
A significant moment in Mbotela’s career occurred during the attempted coup in Kenya on August 1, 1982.
He was captured by rebels and forced at gunpoint to announce on live television that the government had been overthrown.
After the coup was suppressed, he was compelled to inform the nation that the government had regained control.
Mbotela retired in 2022, marking 58 years of service in the media industry.
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