Veteran journalist Leonard Mambo Mbotela was bid a final goodbye in a deeply emotional sendoff at Lang’ata Cemetery, Nairobi.
A sea of mourners—friends, family, colleagues, and Kenyans from all walks of life—gathered to honor the legendary broadcaster, their faces etched with grief as they paid their last respects.
Tears flowed freely during the heart-wrenching yet brief ceremony, presided over by the clergy.
His widow, Alice Mwikali, clad in black, stood by the graveside, her pain visible as she watched the love of her life lowered into the ground. Relatives clung to her, offering support as she whispered her final goodbyes.
A Nation Mourns a Legend; Leonard Mambo Mbotela
Among the mourners was Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris, who described Mbotela as a remarkable man whose legacy will live on.
“Listening to stories of his incredible journey was truly heartwarming. What a remarkable man.”
Mbotela’s legendary show, “Je, Huu Ni Uungwana?”, was remembered as a beacon of courtesy, respect, and dignity, values he instilled in generations of Kenyans.
Controversy Over Final Resting Place
The decision to bury Mbotela at Lang’ata Cemetery stirred emotions, with National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula voicing concern.
“A distinguished figure like Mbotela deserves a Heroes’ Corner. It is heartbreaking that he will be laid to rest in Lang’ata, where graves are overcrowded, stacked one on top of another.”
Leonard Mambo Mbotela passed away at 84, just two days shy of his 85th birthday.
A Daughter’s Heartbreaking Farewell
At a requiem mass at All Saints Cathedral, his daughter, Ida, shared an intimate, soul-stirring tribute, recounting their final moments together.
“Dad, you always cared for me. Even when you couldn’t eat, you drank every drop of soup I fed you. I will forever cherish that moment—I gave you your last meal.”
She fought back tears as she recalled his final words.
“As the hospital staff prepared you to sleep, you held my hand lightly and kept saying, ‘Nisameheeni.’ I didn’t understand why at the time, but now I do. You were saying goodbye. You were asking for forgiveness because you knew you were leaving me forever.”
“Little did I know, I would be the last person you’d ever speak to.”
Her voice broke as she revealed how a sudden urge led her to visit him earlier than planned—a decision that gifted her the most precious goodbye of her life.
“I was always a daddy’s girl. I could hear you even when you didn’t speak. I had planned to visit you on February 10, but something told me to come earlier. I arrived on February 4. If I had stuck to my plan, I would have missed the chance to say goodbye.”
And just like that, a nation lost a legend.
