KBC Veteran Journalist Leonard Mambo Mbotela Sworn in After Govt Appointment

KBC Veteran Lenard Mambo Mbotela (center) with Chief Justice Martha Koome (right) and a guest during his swearing in on Monday, September 26, 2022.
KBC Veteran Lenard Mambo Mbotela (center) with Chief Justice Martha Koome (right) and a guest during his swearing as a member of The National Heroes Council on Monday, September 26, 2022.
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KBC veteran journalist Lenard Mambo Mbotela is now a member of the Kenya National Heroes Council after he was sworn into office.

Chief Justice Martha Koome, on Monday, September 26, witnessed the swearing in of the veteran broadcaster a month after he was appointed to join the council.

The council is tasked with identification and selection of national heroes to be honoured by the nation.

"Witnessed the swearing-in of Leonard Mambo Mbotela as a member of the National Heroes Council following his appointment last month.

Radio Personality Leonard Mambo Mbotela
Radio Personality Leonard Mambo Mbotela
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"The mandate of the National Heroes Council which includes the identification, selection and honouring of national heroes is an important one as our national story is largely the narrative of the contribution by our heroes to nation building," announced Koome.

"We can build a new culture and practice of identifying, celebrating and supporting our unsung heroes and heroines when they’re still with us. That is the only modest way through which we can show appreciation for their heroic acts," she added.

Outgoing Sports and Culture CS Amina Mohammed appointed Mbotela to the position on August 5. He is expected to hold the post for three years.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by section 4 (3) of the Kenya Heroes Act, the Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Culture and Heritage appoints Leonard Mambo Mbotela as a member of the National Heroes Council, for a period of three years with effect from the 5th August, 2022”, read the Gazette notice at the time.

Mbotela, a long-serving broadcaster at KBC during its days as the Voice of Kenya, had run into financial troubles in December 2020 when former President Uhuru Kenyatta secretly settled his hospital bill amounting to Ksh1 million.

In March 2021, the veteran disclosed that doctors at the Nairobi South Hospital told him that he had been discharged and that someone had paid his Ksh1 million hospital bill in cash.

It was only later when Mbotela was watching the news on TV that he found out that the Head of State had cleared his bill.

The 82-year-old retired in the late 90's but came back on air on both KBC TV and radio. 

Radio Personality Leonard Mambo Mbotela during a past interview.
Radio Personality Leonard Mambo Mbotela during a past interview.
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