Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei has proposed that the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication(KIMC) be renamed in honour of the late radio veteran Lenard Mambo Mbotela.
Speaking during Senate proceedings on Tuesday, February 25, the senator said that the school, which is one of Kenya's mighty media schools, should be renamed after the late veteran journalist Leonard Mambo Mbotela.
The senator affirmed that the renaming of the school will not only celebrate his illustrious media career but will also serve as an inspiration to young people aspiring to become media personnel.
"We should name the Kenya Institute of Mass Communications here in Nairobi after Leonard Mambo Mbotela. The institute together with its branches across the country should be renamed after him so that the young men and women who want to be journalists can go and learn how to be a good journalist," he proposed.
The Kenya Institute of Mass Communication (KIMC) is a public media training institution under the Ministry of Information, Communications, and Digital Economy.
KIMC, which was established in 1961, is regarded as the oldest media training institution in the country and has operated as a state department.
For years, the institution has been a foundation for media and communications studies and has manufactured numerous reputable media personalities in reputable broadcasting stations, media production houses, daily newspapers, and the country’s news agency.
Cherargei further urged the County and National Government to rename streets across Kenyan towns after the journalist who is remembered for his legacy.
"I would like the governments to name one or two streets in Nairobi and other cities in the country to celebrate him because sometimes we have names that even do not belong to the local people or the local leaders," he said.
Mbotela passed away aged 85 years on Friday, February 7, 2025, after gracing the communication arena for more than six decades at the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC).
Mbotela particularly gained fame for his “Je, Huu ni Uungwana?” television show that gripped many television audiences while it aired.
The show, which was launched in 1966, addressed issues of social etiquette and manners. The program became immensely popular and has been a staple on KBC radio for decades, making it one of the longest-running shows in Kenyan broadcasting history.
