Veteran journalist Leonard Mambo Mbotela was laid to rest at Lang’ata Cemetery following his passing on Friday, February 7, at the age of 85.
Mbotela, renowned for hosting Je Huu Ni Ungwana, had been battling pneumonia and low blood pressure for some time. His remains were preserved at Umash Funeral Home before the final rites.
A requiem mass was held on Friday at All Saints Cathedral, bringing together close family and friends to honor his memory.
He is survived by his wife, Alice Mwikali, and their three children—Aida, Jimmy, and George Mbotela.
In his memoir, Je Huu Ni Ungwana, Mbotela revealed that his lineage traces back to Malawi, despite having no direct ties to the country.
“My great-grandfather, Mbotela Senior, was from the Yao Clan in Central Malawi, born around 1865. However, I cannot consider myself Yao since I was neither born nor raised there. I have never met any relatives from Malawi, nor have I lived among them. But that is where my ancestry originates. No one in my family ever sought to reconnect with our roots there,” he wrote.
During an emotional interview, his younger brother, Donald Mbotela, shared that Leonard had been unwell in the weeks leading up to his death.
“He was struggling with pneumonia and low blood pressure. The doctors also noted that his age was a contributing factor,” Donald said.
Donald recounted how the family remained hopeful for his recovery but were met with an unexpected turn of events.
“We knew he had been unwell for about three weeks. I traveled to Nairobi to help take care of him, and his condition fluctuated. At one point, he seemed to be improving, so I returned to Mombasa for work. However, on Thursday evening, we were informed that he was unwell again. Then, this morning at around 9 a.m., we received the heartbreaking news from Nairobi that he had passed away.”
“It was shocking because we truly believed he was getting better, only for his condition to worsen suddenly.”
