VETERAN KBC JOURNALIST CHARLES OMUGA KABISAE DIES

Veteran radio broadcaster Charles Omuga Kabisae has passed away following a prolonged illness. Kabisae died on August 11, 2025, and his body has been taken to Nairobi morgue as his family begins funeral preparations. He was widely respected for his solemn and dignified delivery of death and special announcements (Matangazo Maalum Na Ya Vifo), a role that made him a familiar and trusted voice across the country. Kabisae launched his broadcasting career at the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation’s (KBC) Dholuo Service in Kisumu. His unique voice and refined style quickly gained him a dedicated audience, turning him into a household name.

 In the early 1990s, he moved to KBC’s Kiswahili Service, further broadening his reach and solidifying his status as one of Kenya’s most esteemed broadcasters. He was a native of Nyamasaria in Kisumu County, an area renowned for producing top radio talent such as the late Evans Odhiambo Sino, Caleb Odhiambo Akumu, and Omollo Abisa. In the early 1970s and 1980s, Kabisae attended Muslim Secondary School before joining Kenya Media Training Collage now known as the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication (KIMC), in Nairobi’s South B.

Kabisae’s radio journey began with a remarkable incident during his internship when he was assigned to announce the death of an individual. He delivered the news with grace and authority. However, it later emerged that the person was alive. When called upon to make a public correction, he handled the situation with such calm and professionalism and drew the admiration of the station’s senior management. He rose to prominence alongside renowned broadcasters such as Leonard Mambo Mbotela. Kabisae’s career left an enduring mark on Kenya’s airwaves, earning him a place among the greats of the country’s broadcasting history.