Uganda National Journalism Awards 2020 shortlist announced

The African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME) is pleased to announce a shortlist of 54 journalists for the Uganda National Journalism Awards 2020.

Inaugurated in 2014, the Uganda National Journalism Awards celebrate and honour reporting that embraces the ideals of journalistic excellence: enterprise, originality, depth, rigour, accuracy, and diversity of voices. This year’s awards, organised with the support of the Democratic Governance Facility, continue in this tradition of publicly recognising journalism that informs public debate, analyses trends, questions norms, and holds the powerful to account.

This year, 241 entries were submitted for the awards. While there were fewer participating journalists than in previous rounds, a wider variety of media houses took part. There was a marked increase in the number of entries from television and radio stations, and online news sites.

The entries were assessed by a panel of 16 communication professionals, media educators, and former journalists. The panel was chaired by Dr Charlotte Ntulume, a lecturer in the Department of Journalism and Communication at Makerere University and also a former journalist.

“The judges noted an improvement in investigative journalism and enterprise among the broadcast entries, which indicates progress in the industry,” she said. “Several entries showed that journalists had a good appreciation of the issues they were reporting on, even though some may have fallen short on delivery.”

Dr Ntulume added: “There is a lot of room for improvement, particularly in print, and in how journalists can use the available tools for reporting and presentation in order to make their work more informative, comprehensible, and appealing to their audiences.”

This year’s winners will be announced at an invitation-only event in Kampala in September 2020.

Each winner will take home a cash prize of Shs1.5 million, a commemorative plaque, and a certificate. Each runner-up will receive Shs750,000 and a certificate. Where there is a tie, the prize money will be shared accordingly.

The shortlist

Agriculture reporting

• Alon Mwesigwa, The Observer – Milk prices test resilience of Uganda’s dairy sector
• Joshua Kato, New Vision – Agro-chemicals endanger ecosystem
• Ronald Musoke, The Independent – Museveni’s GMO law dilemma and American interest in Uganda’s GMO law

Arts reporting

• Andrew Kaggwa, Leo Africa Review – Stage to the State: The evolution of Bobi Wine
• Frank Walusimbi, NTV Uganda – The poster boy of defiance music
• Paul Kayonga, NBS Television –  Fresh Kid ssi ye muto asoose okuyimba

Breaking news

• Betty Amamukirori, New Vision – The forceful mutilation of girls in Kween
• Cliff Wamala, NTV Uganda – Okweyanjula eri poliisi

Business, economy and finance reporting

• Alon Mwesigwa, The Observer – Winners and losers in the Uganda-Rwanda Row
• Isaac Khisa, The Independent – Behind the sugar zoning politics
• Ismail Musa Ladu, Daily Monitor – How much Uganda is losing in tax agreements with multinational companies (2-part series)

Data journalism

• Edgar R. Batte, Daily Monitor – Birding can rake in more revenue than mountain gorillas
• Isaac Khisa, The Independent – Across Africa, tech-enabled micro insurance is the next big thing
• Lillian Namusoke Magezi, New Vision – Balancing chores: Men need to take part

Education reporting

• David Kiyengo, CBS 89.2 Emmanduuso – School dropout
• Richard Wetaya, New Vision – Is PLE to blame for low secondary school enrollment?
• Solomon Serwanjja and Thomas Kitimbo, NBS Television – Mature before 18

Energy and extractives reporting

• Daniel Lutaaya, NBS Television – The real gold diggers
• Pascal Kwesiga, New Vision – How much will Uganda earn from $20bn oil projects?
• Ronald Musoke, The Independent – ‘Oil money’ negotiations (2-part series)

Environment reporting

• Gerald Tenywa, New Vision – How green technology cut the cost of running universities
• Peter Labeja, Radio Rupiny – Making charcoal attractive for Uganda’s supermarkets
• Solomon Serwanjja and Timothy Maganda, NBS Television – Bidi Bidi’s firewood crisis

Explanatory reporting

• Cecilia Okoth, Benjamin Ssebaggala, Paul Lubwama and Ismail Nsubuga, Vision Group – Bribery in Uganda’s ID project (3-part series)
• Pascal Kwesiga, New Vision – Why oil is here to stay
• Raymond Mujuni and Godfrey Badebye, NBS Television – The sinking of MV Templar

Features

• Christopher Bendana, New Vision – Equality: Women decry gaps between policy and reality
• Felix Ainebyoona, Daily Monitor – Karimojong girl who refused early marriage graduates in Medicine
• Richard Wetaya, New Vision – Is the fight against teenage pregnancy lost?

Health reporting

• Christopher Kayonga and Gabriel Iguma, Wizarts – Petition 16
• Culton Scovia Nakamya, BBS Terefayina – Trials and tribulations of the deaf in Uganda
• Leah Kahunde, Radio One 90 FM – Unsafe and sorry
• Songa-Samuel Stone Mwesigwa, Salim Segawa and Victor Opira, STORYTELD – Meet Vivan Nabanoba and Hilary Niwamanya, two people living positively with the virus

Investigative reporting

• Canary Mugume and Thomas Kitimbo, NBS Television – Modern day slavery in Soroti
• Daniel Lutaaya, NBS Television – Without a trace
• Sudhir Byaruhanga, NTV Uganda – Ranch land being taken by government officials

Justice, law and order reporting

• Betty Amamukirori, Edward Muhumuza, Patrick Tumwesigye and Obeid Lutale, Vision Group – Officials turn courts into corruption dens
• Paul Kayonga, NBS Television – Amateeka mu ddubi
• Sudhir Byaruhanga, NTV Uganda – Police on opposition activities

Local reporting

• Culton Scovia Nakamya, BBS Terefayina – Mothers at risk of infection as water crisis cripples Nakaseke Hospital
• George Bita, New Vision – Children at risk as condemned asbestos roofs persist
• Herbert Kamoga and Gerald Luyima, NTV Uganda – Nakasongola student walks 15 kilometers to sit for UCE

National news reporting – Broadcast

• Canary Mugume and Godfrey Badebye, NBS Television – The death of Ziggy Wine
• Joan Akello, Uganda Radio Network – Over 100 MPs listed among perpetual absentees in Parliament
• Solomon Serwanjja, Godfrey Badebye and Kassim Mohammed, NBS Television – Stealing from the sick

National news reporting – Print

• Ian Katusiime, The Independent – UPDF’s uncertain future in Somalia
• Patience Ahimbisibwe, Daily Monitor – 1,000 weddings at city church declared illegal
• Ronald Musoke, The Independent – Colours of violence in 2021 elections

News illustration – No entries were submitted

Photo and video journalism

• Abubaker Lubowa, Daily Monitor – Nowhere to run
• Richard Sanya, New Vision – Flying to safety
• Songa-Samuel Stone Mwesigwa, Salim Segawa and Victor Opira, STORYTELD – Moving around Kampala as a person with a disability

Political reporting

• Christopher Kayonga and Gabriel Iguma, Wizarts – Demarcation of polling areas
• Ian Katusiime, The Independent – Visa denied
• Misairi Thembo Kahungu, Daily Monitor – Seven years later, African leaders move slowly on democracy treaty

Sports reporting

• Abdul-Nasser Ssemugabi, Daily Monitor – Malta: Opening the pool for young para-swimmers
• George Katongole, Daily Monitor – Coach with physical disability
• Henry Lematia, Radio Pacis – 14 years later, teenage pregnancy eating away the new Inzikurus in West Nile

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ABOUT AFRICAN CENTRE FOR MEDIA EXCELLENCE. ACME is a Kampala-based independent, non-profit professional organisation committed to promoting excellence in journalism and communication in Africa. 

For further information, please contact the Uganda National Journalism Awards secretariat at awards[at]acme-ug.org.