For decades, Leonard Mambo Mobotela iconic voice and presence stood out as he contributed to the growth of the media industry and journalism in Kenya.
Even in death, his legacy stands tall, with his family lifting the lid on little known details of his life.
Childhood & family history with slavery
Leonard was born to James and Aida Mbotela in 1940 in Mombasa and was the first born in a large family of eight siblings.
His parents named him Leonard in honour of a British missionary, Bishop Leonard Beecher, who taught his father.
The family lived in Frere town where his great-grandfather, Mbotela Sr, was settled after being rescued from the hands of slave traders by the British Navy.
Education & memories of his high school days
He studied in Buxton Primary school and transitioned to Kitui High School for his secondary school education.
From a young age, Leonard fell in love with journalism and his younger sibling recounted that he would often pretend to be anchoring news with a book held like a microphone.
Since childhood, he used to take books and pretend it was a microphone; he would anchor the news with it. He was used to that habit, and the teachers would beat him up, but Leonard would still go on. He did not want anything else apart from journalism.
An opportunity to work as a trainee at the East African Standard newspaper opened the doors to the media where his passion, hard work and self-taught skills would see him find his footing in the industry.
He joined the then Voice of Kenya (VoK)—now KBC—in 1964 and grew under the mentorship of the late Simeone Ndesanjo, who was head of radio at KBC (then Voice of Kenya) and saw his potential.
It is here that his iconic voice would shape Kenya, ruling the airwaves for 58 years at the time of his retirement and beyond.
In his own words, the veteran broadcaster acknowledged that his voice combined with a chance to work on radio was a blessing.
Radio paired with my voice is my God-given talent. I would cut newspaper clippings, compile news, and read them out to my classmates.
He found himself thrust right at the center of one of Kenya’s darkest moments in history when he was forced, at gunpoint to announce on radio that former President Daniel arap Moi’s government had been overthrown during the failed 1982 coup.
Values that defined his life
His family credited the success in his career and life to values that shaped his presence, noting that the veteran broadcaster valued integrity, discipline and hard work.
These values reflected in his career and inspired the popular “Jee Huu Ni Ungwana?” radio program.
I remember my brother as someone who valued discipline very much. Even when we were young, he always taught us to be disciplined. He never liked seeing people misbehave or mistreat others. That is why he created the program “Jee Huu Ni Ungwana?” It was born from that principle. If he saw someone doing something wrong, he would call them out, correct them, or advise them. If you went to him with a problem, he would guide you, and by the time you left, you would feel completely at peace, his younger brother Donald Mbotela recounted.
Marriage life and family
Mbotela was married to Alice Mwikali who together had three children: Aida Mbotela, Jimmy Mbotela and George Mbotela.
Referring to cherished memories created in his lifetime, his family eulogised him as a charismatic and jovial person who spread positive energy and joy wherever he was.
“He was a jovial person; when you visited him, you will not go without laughing. He was caring and a jovial person,” his nephew stated.
After a long life well-lived, Leonard Mambo Mbotela took the final bow at the age of 85.