President Ruto Leads Kenyans in Mourning Veteran Broadcaster Sammy Lui Wang’ondu

President William Ruto has led Kenyans in mourning the late Sammy Lui Wang’ondu, a veteran journalist, broadcaster, and former State Master of Ceremonies who passed away on Thursday, October 23.

In a heartfelt tribute, President Ruto described the late Lui as “a dedicated public servant, a veteran broadcaster, and the respected State Master of Ceremonies.”

“From his early days as one of Kenya’s pioneer journalists at the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation to his time at the Presidential Press Service, and later, as Director of State Events, his powerful voice was the familiar soundtrack to Kenyans. His sterling career influenced many who followed in his footsteps, and his huge contribution to our media industry will not be forgotten. Our condolences to the family, friends, and the media fraternity. Rest in Peace, Lui,” President William Ruto.

The late Wang’ondu’s death was confirmed by his son, Chris Wang’ondu, on Thursday afternoon. While the cause of his death is yet to be made public, preliminary reports indicate that the revered journalist passed away at his home in Subukia, Nakuru County.

Lui’s voice was a defining presence in Kenya’s broadcast and public event space, particularly during the Moi and Kibaki eras, when he served as the Director of State Events. His deep, commanding tone became synonymous with national functions, earning him the affectionate title “State House MC.”

Having started his illustrious career at the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) when it was still known as the Voice of Kenya (VoK), Lui rose through the ranks to become one of the country’s most celebrated radio and television personalities.

He later had a stint at KTN, where he continued to inspire a generation of media professionals before transitioning to serve in government.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Lui was also a family man. Few Kenyans knew that he was the father of Nick Wang’ondu, who represented Kenya in the Big Brother Africa reality TV show in 2011.

Tributes have continued to pour in across social media platforms, with many Kenyans celebrating Lui’s immense contribution to the nation’s media landscape and his role in shaping public communication over several decades.