Uganda National Journalism Awards 2016 shortlist announced

African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME) is pleased to announce a shortlist of 74 stories for the third edition of the Uganda National Journalism Awards.

The awards, organised with support from the Democratic Governance Facility, celebrate and promote exceptional, in-depth and enterprising journalism that informs public debate and holds the powerful to account. They are open to all journalists working for media outlets in Uganda or regional media houses with wide circulation and significant audience reach in the country.

The 2016 awards attracted 148 journalists who submitted 237 entries for competition.

“While the number of entries dropped very slightly [9%] from last year, we are elated by the diversity of media houses participating in the awards,” said Dr Peter Mwesige, ACME’s executive director.

“We are pleased that more journalists, particularly those from TV and radio, are growing in confidence to compete against their peers from print,” he said.

A panel of 12 judges chaired by Dr George Lugalambi adjudicated the entries. Dr Lugalambi is the Media Capacity and Development Programme Officer at the National Governance Resource Institute. He previously served as head of the mass communication department at Makerere University and has chaired the Uganda National Journalism Awards panel for the last three years.

Dr Lugalambi noted that the overall quality of entries is proof that the bar has been raised further in this cycle.

“We’ve seen more reporting that explores issues in-depth and follows them up to hold those responsible accountable,” he said.

Other judges on the panel are Charlotte Kawesa Ntulume and Florence Namasinga from Makerere University, former news editors Joachim Buwembo, David Ouma Balikowa and JB Wasswa, and senior public communication professionals Rose Mary Kemigisha, Simon Kaheru, Teresa Nannozi, Edward Ssekalo, Wairagala Wakabi and Onapito Ekomoloit.

This year, a new category, education reporting, was introduced to the Uganda National Journalism Awards. The category, which is sponsored by Twaweza East Africa, attracted 15 entries on subjects ranging from education policy and curriculum reform, to teaching practice and school facilities.

Twaweza East Africa is an independent, citizen-centred initiative that seeks to foster conditions and expand opportunities through which people can get information and make change happen in their own communities.

The organisation also sponsored the data journalism category to promote open governance and innovations in data-driven reporting in Uganda.

This year’s winners will be announced at a gala dinner on 20 April 2016 at Golf Course Hotel in Kampala. Former Principal Judge James Ogoola, will preside as chief guest. He is the current chairman of the Elders’ Forum, a 13-member body founded in 2010 to “provide an impartial space for dialogue particularly during electoral seasons”.

Nile Breweries Award for Exceptional Journalism

For the second year in a row, ACME will administer the Nile Breweries Award for Exceptional Journalism. The winner of the award is a participant in the Uganda National Journalism Awards who exhibits in-depth knowledge of his or her reporting beats, provides evidence of growth over the period of assessment, consistently produces quality work, and is highly regarded by others in the profession.

The following journalists were nominated by the panel of judges for this award:

• Judith Atim – 93.3 KFM
• Haggai Matsiko – The Independent
• Suhail Mugabi – NTV Uganda
• Ronald Musoke – The Independent
• Carol Natukunda – New Vision

The shortlist

The following are the names of the journalists whose stories have made the shortlist.

AGRICULTURE

• Patience Ahimbisibwe – Daily Monitor
• Michael Kanaabi – New Vision
• Joshua Kato – New Vision
• Hope Mafaranga – New Vision

ARTS AND CULTURE

• Andrew Kaggwa and Justine Mirembe – The Observer
• Emmanuel Ojok – Radio Pacis
• Stephen Ssenkaaba – New Vision
• Frank Walusimbi – NTV Uganda

BUSINESS, ECONOMY AND FINANCE

• Judith Atim – 93.3 KFM
• Felix Basiime – Daily Monitor
• Ian Katusiime – The Independent
• Billy Rwothungeyo – New Vision

DATA JOURNALISM

• Haggai Matsiko – The Independent
• Esther Namugoji, Mary Karugaba, Moses Walubiri, John Masaba and John Semakula – New Vision
• John Semakula – New Vision
• Joseph Ssemutooke – Daily Monitor

EDITORIAL CARTOONING

• Chrisogon Atukwasize – Daily Monitor
• Jimmy Spire Ssentongo – The Observer

EDUCATION

• Catherine Ageno – 93.3 KFM
• Suhail Mugabi – NTV Uganda
• Ali Mukiibi Mivule – 93.3 KGM
• Carol Natukunda – New Vision

ENERGY, OIL, GAS AND MINING

• Joan Akello – The Independent
• Haggai Matsiko – The Independent
• Mark Keith Muhumuza – Daily Monitor
• Benon Herbert Oluka – The Observer
• Owen Wagabaza – New Vision

ENVIRONMENT

• Conan Businge, Gerald Tenywa and Sauda Nakandi – New Vision
• Gerald Tenywa – New Vision
• Paul Tajuba – Daily Monitor
• Ronald Musoke – The Independent

EXPLANATORY REPORTING

• Emmanuel Ainebyoona – Daily Monitor
• Andrew Masinde and Claire Nanyunja – New Vision
• Raymond Mujuni – Uganda Radio Network
• Carol Natukunda – New Vision

FEATURES

• Edgar R. Batte – Daily Monitor
• Ismail Musa Ladu – Daily Monitor
• Ronald Musoke – The Independent
• Mathias Wandera – Daily Monitor

HEALTH

• Jacquiline Emodek – New Vision
• Gloria Nakajubi, Owen Wagabaza and Billy Rwothungeyo – New Vision
• Beatrice Nyangoma and Ronald Odongo – Uganda Radio Network
• Michael Wambi – Uganda Radio Network

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING

• Haggai Matisko and Ian Katusiime – The Independent
• Raymond Mujuni – NTV Uganda
• Farahani Mukisa, Nelson Wesonga and Frederic Musisi – Daily Monitor
• Suhail Mugabi – NTV Uganda

JUSTICE, LAW AND ORDER

• Judith Atim – 93.3 KFM
• Pascal Kwesiga – New Vision
• Stephen Ssenkaaba – New Vision
• Michael Wambi, Anthony Kushaba, Olive Nakatudde, Ronald Odongo – Uganda Radio Network

LOCAL REPORTING

• Henry Lubulwa – Daily Monitor
• Francis Mugerwa – Daily Monitor
• Alex John Otto and Michael Wambi – Uganda Radio Network
• Anthony Sennabulya – UBC TV

MULTIMEDIA FEATURE

• Sebidde Kiryowa – New Vision
• Antonio Kisembo – Ultimate Multimedia Consult

NATIONAL NEWS – BROADCAST

• Solomon Lubambula and Anitah Muwanguzi – 104.1 Power FM
• Bernard Yiga – UBC TV

NATIONAL NEWS – PRINT

• Innocent Anguyo, Fred Turyakira, John Semakula, Godfrey Ojore, Jolly Owiny, Ali Mao and Richard Drasimaku – New Vision
• Francis Mugerwa – Daily Monitor
• Ronald Musoke – The Independent
• Billy Rwothungeyo – New Vision

PHOTOJOURNALISM

• Robert Atuhairwe – Daily Monitor
• Daniel Edyegu – New Vision
• Morgan Mbabazi – The EastAfrican

POLITICAL REPORTING

• Moses Akena – NTV Uganda
• Judith Atim – 93.3 KFM
• Philimon Badagawa and Paul Kisembo – Campus Times
• Flavia Nassaka – The Independent

SPORTS

• Hafiz Bakhit – Radio Pacis
• Sande Bashaija – Daily Monitor

• Norman Katende – New Vision
• Abdul-Nasser Ssemugabi – Daily Monitor

 

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ABOUT AFRICAN CENTRE FOR MEDIA EXCELLENCE: ACME is a Kampala-based independent, non-profit professional organisation committed to helping African journalists seek and achieve professional excellence. The organisation fulfils its mandate through refresher training for mid-career journalists; media literacy training for civil society organisations, corporate companies and others; media research; free expression advocacy; and media monitoring.

ABOUT DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE FACILITY: Established by Austria, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the European Union, the DGF is a basket fund that supports state and non-state partners to strengthen democratisation, protect human rights, improve access to justice and enhance accountability in Uganda. (www.dgf.ug)

 

For further information, please contact Ms Rachel Mugarura-Mutana, ACME’s manager for online and multimedia resources on rmugarura[AT]acme-ug.org