Veteran radio broadcaster Charles Omuga Kabisae has died. His family confirmed the news on August 12, 2025, saying he passed away on August 11 after a long illness.
His body has been moved to a Nairobi morgue as the family begins burial preparations.
Kabisae was well known for his unique style of delivering death and special announcements — “matangazo maalum na ya vifo” — which earned him a loyal audience across the country.
He hailed from Nyamasaria in Kisumu County, a region famous for producing top radio talent, including Calleb Odhiambo Akumu, the late Evans Odhiambo Sino, and current broadcaster Abisalom Omollo, popularly known as Omollo Abisa.
Kabisae started his career at the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation’s (KBC) Dholuo Service in Kisumu, where he became widely recognized for his dignified and clear delivery of obituaries and condolence messages.
In the early 1990s, he moved to KBC’s Kiswahili Service, which expanded his reach and solidified his place as one of Kenya’s most respected voices in broadcasting. His distinctive tone made him a trusted source of information at a time before mobile phones and modern communication were common.
His radio journey began during an internship, when he was assigned to announce a death. The broadcast went smoothly — until a few hours later, news broke that the person reported dead was actually alive.
The family of the man demanded a correction, and Kabisae returned to the microphone to clarify the mistake. He delivered the retraction with such composure and professionalism that it impressed the station’s management.
What could have been a career-ending error instead became the turning point that secured him a permanent role as the station’s trusted voice for obituaries and special announcements.
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