Leonard Mambo Mbotela Dies
His demise was confirmed by his daughter-in-law Anne Mbotela
Viral Tea Ke Writer 
Renowned veteran journalist Leonard Mambo Mbotela is dead.
His demise was confirmed by his daughter-in-law Anne Mbotela on Friday, February 7. Mbotela died at the age of 85 after he graced television screens and gained fame for his “Je, Huu ni Ungwana?” television show.
Mbotela, who had been unwell, passed away in the morning hours while receiving treatment at a city hospital.
Mbotela's career spans more than 50 years, having been at Voice of Kenya (VoK) which was renamed KBC. After he joined in 1964, he hosted Je huu ni ungwana? which is one of the national broadcaster's oldest shows.
The late veteran journalist Leonard Mambo Mbotela. /KDRTV
Premiering in 1966, the show focused on social etiquette and proper manners. It gained immense popularity and has remained a fixture on KBC radio for decades, ranking among the longest-running programs in Kenya's broadcasting history.
From his school days, Mbotela’s passion for broadcasting was evident, as he would gather news from newspaper clippings and read them aloud to his classmates.
His enthusiasm led him to a trainee role at The Standard newspaper in Nakuru. In 1964, he moved to the Voice of Kenya (VoK), now the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC), marking the start of his distinguished broadcasting career.
One of the most defining moments of his time at VoK occurred during the 1982 attempted coup. On August 1, 1982, rebel soldiers forcibly took Mbotela to the VoK studios, where he was made to announce the overthrow of President Daniel Arap Moi’s government. After the coup was suppressed, he was entrusted with informing the nation of the government's reinstatement, underscoring his significance and credibility as a broadcaster.
Born in Freetown, Mombasa, the veteran journalist has witnessed all five Kenyan presidents assume office and has even worked at the Presidential Press Unit.
Throughout his career, Mbotela has been widely recognized for his contributions to journalism and broadcasting. In 1987, he was awarded the Head of State Commendation (HSC), followed by the Order of the Grand Warrior of Kenya (OGW) in 1992. In 2009, the Kenyan government honoured him as a national hero for his profound influence on the country’s media industry.
On September 26, 2022, he was sworn in as a member of the Kenya National Heroes Council.
The radio personality was admitted to the Nairobi South Hospital on October 29, 2020, and his bill had accumulated to Ksh1,105,498.78. He encountered financial troubles in December 2020 before former President Uhuru Kenyatta settled his hospital bill without his knowledge.
"The Kenyatta family have been my friends for a long time and so when the president heard of my plea, he sent his aides to bring the money to the hospital in cash.
"I, however, did not know that he was the one that had settled the bills. It is only after I watched the 7 pm news that I learnt of the president's gesture," he narrated during a past interview on Churchill Show.
