A casket bearing the remains of legendary Kiswahili broadcaster Leonard Mambo Mbotela at Lang'ata Cemetery, Nairobi on 15 February, 2025. Photo/Newsflash.
By Wesley Koech
Emotions ran high at Langata cemetery in Nairobi, on Saturday, 15 February, 2025, where families, friends and workmates of veteran broadcaster Leonard Mambo Mbotela, gathered to pay tributes as he was laid to rest.
His son, Jimmy Mbotela, overwhelmed by emotions while reading tributes to his dad, had to pause for some time as congregants consoled him.
Mbotela was eulogised as a family man, a good friend and a hardworking Kenyan, who was always up to task.
Most of his family members said that they were yet to come to terms with his demise.
Mr Julius Aritho, the Managing Director of Kenya Literature Bureau, in a tribute speech read by Mbotela’s son, eulogized the late as a special gift that God gave the family and the country.
He praised him for his unwavering hardwork and patriotism while working in different capacities.
“We should celebrate the life of this man whose career spanned a lifetime. He saw four presidents and worked for over 50 yeas at the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC),” he said.
Aritho said Mbotela was always determined and focused on his work despite his age and physical challenges, as he always insisted on running his ‘Je, Huu ni Ungwana’ show.
“He was a great broadcaster and a moral compass to the nation. As long as I am alive and my voice does not fail me, I will continue producing and presenting ‘Je, Huu ni Ungwana?’ Leonard Mbotela once declared,” Aritho recalled.
On the other hand, he noted that Mbotela was never bothered when comes to fame, but upheld his discipline and ethics at work and at home.
Eric Livae said that the humor that Mbotela had was inherited from his father, who could create unending jokes.
“Leonard and I are agemates. Mzee Mambo, Lenny’s dad, was a funny guy. He had many stories, good singing skills and Lenny was his image in so many aspects,” said Livae.
Mbotela was later interred at the cemetery.
