“Please stop misinformation, it hurts families” – Mbotela’s grandson appeals

Family, friends, and members of the media fraternity gathered at All Saints Cheradal in Nairobi on Friday to celebrate the life of fallen veteran broadcaster Leonard Mambo Mbotela.

Speaker after speaker paid glowing tribute to the man they described as a media giant, mentor  and humble, whose powerful, distinctive voice and impactful shows left an everlasting imprint on the media landscape.

During the service, Mbotela’s grandson, Clinton Mrenje, took the opportunity to urge Kenyans to be more responsible when using social media to avoid spreading misinformation.

Mrenje recounted how fake news, five years ago, had deeply hurt the family, particularly his grandfather, whom he cherished for teaching them the importance of being truthful and honest—values that should be upheld by both friends and enemies alike.

“My grandpa, Leonard Mbotela, told me about social media misinformation, he was affected too about five years ago. In this era of social media and AI, I pray that people will be responsible while engaging with these tools to ensure that families are not hurt,” he said

Although Mrenje did not provide further details, he may have been referring to past social media posts that falsely announced Mbotela’s death.

CELEBRATING MAMBO MBOTELA

Mambo Mbotela's grandson : Grandpa, Leonard Mambo Mbotela, was an arsenal fan, I pray that Arsenal wins a trophy this season for babu's honour. #RIPLegend pic.twitter.com/taw6k5vbnG

— KBC Channel 1 News (@KBCChannel1) February 14, 2025

The veteran broadcaster, who passed away last week at the age of 85, had a long and celebrated career that started at Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC).

He will be buried tomorrow Saturday at Lang’ata Cemetery.