Veteran Kenyan radio broadcaster Charles Omuga Kabisae has died, close family members confirmed on Tuesday, August 12, 2025.

According to the family, Kabisae passed away on Sunday, August 10, 2025, after a long illness. His body has been moved to a Nairobi morgue while the family begins to prepare for the funeral.

A native of Nyamasaria in Kisumu County, Kabisae was best known for his exceptional news reporting, particularly the dignified way in which he delivered matangazo maalum (special announcements) and death notices.

Nyamasaria is renowned for being a cradle of radio talent, having produced well-known figures such as Calleb Odhiambo Akumu, the late Evans Odhiambo Sino and the current broadcaster Abisalom Omollo, who is popularly known as Omollo Abisa.

Kabisae began his broadcasting career at the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation’s (KBC) Dholuo Service in Kisumu, where his deep, resonant voice and precise delivery quickly earned him widespread recognition.

In the early 1990s, he moved to KBC’s Kiswahili Service, reaching a national audience and establishing himself as one of Kenya’s most respected broadcasters.

By the 2000s, he was a familiar presence in Kenyan homes, particularly known for reading obituaries and condolence messages. This role held great significance before the advent of mobile phones and instant messaging.

One defining moment in his career came during his internship when he was assigned to announce a death. A few hours later, it emerged that the individual was alive. With remarkable composure, Kabisae returned to the airwaves to retract the announcement, impressing KBC’s top management and securing his place as the station’s trusted voice for sensitive messages.

Kabisae worked alongside broadcasting greats such as Leonard Mambo Mbotela, and following his retirement, the prominence of condolence messages on many Kenyan radio stations began to fade, a testament to the irreplaceable niche he had carved.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Kabisae attended Muslim Secondary School before enrolling at the Kenya Media Training College, now the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication (KIMC) in Nairobi’s South B. At the time, KIMC was the country’s sole media training institution, producing generations of talent that would go on to shape Kenya’s broadcasting landscape.

Kabisae’s voice and style left an enduring mark on Kenya’s airwaves, making him a revered figure in the nation’s media history. His legacy lives on in the countless listeners who trusted him to deliver some of life’s most delicate news with dignity and respect.