In a more recent interview with 'The Standard' in 2023, Mbotela said: "My wife Alice was one of my best fans. She loved to hear me on air. She often sent her greetings while I was in studio and I would read them out for her."
During the interview at his house in Nairobi, pictures of his family hung on the wall.
Also on the wall was a picture frame of his brothers and sisters namely: George, Monicah, Donald, Betty, Pauline, Irene, and Nancy.
At the time, he said that while none of his family had followed his footsteps, they were proud of what he did.
The nation and media fraternity has been thrown into mourning for the loss of a towering figure in the Kenyan story and history.