Mambo mbotela

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Leonard Mambo Mbotela, born on May 29, 1940, in Mombasa, Kenya, was a pioneering journalist whose career spanned over five decades. He was the firstborn of James and Ida Mbotela; his father was an educator, and his mother was involved with "Maendeleo ya Wanawake." Mbotela traced his roots to Malawi, as his great-grandfather was among slaves freed in Mombasa by the British Navy.

After completing his secondary education at Kitui High School in 1962, Mbotela began his journalism career as a trainee reporter with The Standard in Nakuru. In 1964, he joined the Voice of Kenya (now Kenya Broadcasting Corporation), where he created the iconic program "Je Huu ni Ungwana?" in 1966. This show, which examined societal manners and ethics, became the longest-running program in Kenyan broadcasting history.

In 1982, during an attempted coup in Kenya, Mbotela was forced at gunpoint to announce on live television that the government had been overthrown. The coup was unsuccessful, and he later informed the nation of the government's restoration.

Mbotela retired in 2022, marking 58 years in broadcasting. He passed away on February 7, 2025, at the age of 84, after battling pneumonia and low blood pressure. He had been receiving treatment at Nairobi West Hospital for two weeks prior to his death.

As of now, details regarding his burial arrangements have not been publicly disclosed. Given his significant contributions to Kenyan media and culture, discussions about his final resting place are anticipated, with many expecting a ceremony befitting his status as a national icon.

Leonard Mambo Mbotela is scheduled to be laid to rest at Lang'ata Cemetery in Nairobi on Saturday, February 15, 2025. 

This decision has sparked discussions among Kenyans, with some expressing that a figure of his stature deserves a more distinguished resting place. However, insights into Mbotela's ancestry provide clarity on this choice. His lineage traces back to Malawi, specifically the village of Mpanda on the shores of Lake Malawi. His great-grandfather, Mzee Mbotela,

 was a freed slave who settled in Freretown, Mombasa, in the 1860s. Given this background, Mbotela did not have a traditional ancestral home in Kenya. Therefore, the family opted for Lang'ata Cemetery as his final resting place.