Charles Omuga Kabisae, a voice that once echoed through countless Kenyan homes, has died.
The veteran broadcaster, known to many for his calm and deliberate reading of obituaries and condolence messages, passed away on Monday, 11 August, after a long illness, his family confirmed. He was 68.
His body has been taken to a Nairobi morgue as relatives begin funeral arrangements.
Omuga’s career spanned decades and generations. He began in the 1980s at the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation’s (KBC) Dholuo Service in Kisumu before moving to the Kiswahili Service in Nairobi. The switch came after a presenter’s sudden departure opened the door for him to apply.
Once there, he became a fixture on air, working alongside broadcasting giants such as Leonard Mambo Mbotela. His deep, steady voice made him a trusted messenger for sombre news.
In a 2015 interview, Omuga recalled his nerve-racking debut. He had been asked to announce the death of a man, only for the family to rush to the studio moments later saying the man was alive. “I had to go back on air and apologise,” he said, laughing at the memory. “It was not funny then.”
Colleagues describe him as disciplined, humble and quietly witty. “Charles had a way of speaking that made even the hardest news easier to bear,” said a former KBC producer who worked with him for over a decade.
Omuga attended Muslim Secondary School before training at the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
For many Kenyans, his voice was part of daily life — whether announcing the loss of a loved one or delivering community messages. “He was a bridge between people and the news they needed to hear,” said a former listener from Kisumu.
Tributes from media colleagues and fans have begun to pour in, honouring a man whose career was rooted in service and whose voice will be missed.
Funeral details are expected in the coming days.
About the Author
