Nation media scribe scoops CNN award

CNN Africa journalist of the year Joseph Mathenge (R) with his son Jeoff Kihato (l) and NMG’s Tom Mshindi after receiving the award at the weekend. PHOTO By Henry H Ssali.

Kampala: All is well that ends well. Out of the ghastly images of the September 2013 terrorist attack at the Westgate Mall in Kenya came a story of enormous bravery that won Saturday Nation photojournalist Joseph Mathenge the coveted CNN Multichoice Africa Journalist of the Year 2014 award.
Mathenge, brought the heart wrenching images of the terror attack where at least more than 67 people lost their lives to the eyes of the world through his lens. Somali Islamist group al-Shabab claimed the attack saying it was in retaliation to Kenya’s military operations in Somalia.
“We were heading to a function to cover a wedding with my son when we received a distress call from a friend at Westgate Mall, asking for help.
She was crying and we could hear gunshots in the background. My son had been diagnosed with cancer and doctors had advised that he should be in India for operation four days later. We didn’t have enough money to cater for his bills, so we were going to cover the function to get some money to top up on his medical bill. He told me, forget about the function, let’s go and help those people,” Mathenge narrated the events of the dreadful day while receiving his trophy from Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete at the Mlimani Convention Centre in Dar Es Salaam on Saturday.
“It’s my son who pushed me to go to Westgate,” Mathenge said of his son, 21-year-old Geoff Kihato, who accompanied him to the podium.
“My dad has done me proud,” is all the young man could say.
“I dedicate this award to those who lost their lives and the families of the victims,” Africa should unite to fight terrorism,” Mathenge said.
Daily Monitor, a sister paper to Daily Nation, reached out to the winner after the event and he told us that luckily his son did not even need an operation when he went to India, because he was cancer-free.

The award

The ‘CNN African Journalist of the Year Competition’ was established in August 1995 to encourage, promote and recognise excellence in African journalism.
It is the most prestigious and respected Award for journalists across the African Continent. Its objective is to reinforce the importance of the role of journalists in Africa’s development and to reward, recognise and encourage journalistic talent across all media disciplines.