Veteran radio broadcaster Charles Omuga Kabisae has passed away. Close family members confirmed on August 12, 2025.
According to a source that spoke to The Kenya Times, Charles Omuga passed away on August 11, 2025, after a long illness.
His body was later moved to a morgue within Nairobi for preservation as the family embarks on burial arrangements.
Omuga was popularly known for his exceptional news reporting, particularly in delivering death and special announcements. (Matangazo maalum na ya vifo)
Kabisae hailed from Nyamasaria in Kisumu County, an area renowned for producing outstanding radio talent, including Calleb Odhiambo Akumu, the late Evans Odhiambo Sino, and the current broadcaster Abisalom Omollo, popularly known as Omollo Abisa.
Career Background
Kabisae began his career at the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation’s (KBC) Dholuo Service in Kisumu, where he gained widespread recognition for his distinctive and dignified delivery of death and special announcements.
In the early 1990s, he transitioned to KBC’s Kiswahili Service, a move that broadened his audience and cemented his reputation as one of Kenya’s most respected broadcast voices.
In the 2000s, Omuga Kabisae was a familiar voice in Kenyan households, best known for reading obituaries and messages of condolence.
His distinct tone and delivery made him a trusted source of such announcements at a time when mobile phones and other modern communication tools were yet to be widely adopted.
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Kabisae’s radio debut came during his internship, when he was assigned to announce the death of an individual—a task he carried out flawlessly.
However, the moment turned unforgettable when, just a few hours later, news came through that the person he had reported dead was, in fact, alive.
After the family of the man—who had been mistakenly declared dead—insisted on a retraction, Omuga returned to the airwaves to set the record straight.
He issued the correction with such composure and professionalism that it caught the attention of the station’s top management.
What began as an unfortunate mistake ultimately became a turning point in his career, securing him a permanent role as the voice behind obituaries and condolence messages.
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He rose to prominence alongside renowned broadcasters such as Leonard Mambo Mbotela.
Following his retirement, the presence of condolence messages and obituaries on many media stations gradually declined.
Kabisae’s career left an enduring mark on Kenya’s airwaves, earning him a place among the greats of the country’s broadcasting history.
Educational Background
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Kabisae attended Muslim Secondary School before joining Kenya Media Training College—now known as the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication (KIMC), domiciled in Nairobi’s South B.
KIMC was the only media trainer in Kenya during the post-colonial era, churning out media talent, most of whom launched their careers at that national broadcaster, KBC.
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