NMG-U scoops top journalism awards

Seven journalists from Nation Media Group-Uganda (NMG-U) yesterday scooped various awards and cash prizes at the Uganda National Journalism Awards for their excellent reporting.
The awards, which attracted 357 entries, were organised by the African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME) and the National Association of Broadcasters.

Ms Irene Abalo Otto won the Features Reporting category for the series on the scars left by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) after the two decade war in northern Uganda
She told Daily Monitor in an interview yesterday that the aspect of storytelling should go beyond the voice and quotes of the person to “what one observes, tastes, smells or feels as they talk to the people”.

“It means covering issues that have been under-reported. Journalism should go beyond the spaces of Kampala. I had a great team that I worked with,” she said.
She was also the second runner-up in the investigations category.
Mr Franklin Draku, who applied for the environment and national news reporting categories, where he emerged first and second runners-up respectively, said the competition was stiff and the victories were “well deserved”.

Other Daily Monitor  winners include Ms Nobert Atukunda, who scooped the data journalism category award, for an article titled “Covid data contradicts EC campaign freeze claims” and Mr Paul Murungi, who won the business, finance and economy award for his story titled “What can Uganda do with her milk surplus?”  He was also the first runner-up for the Agriculture Reporting Awards.
Mr Joseph Beyanga, the secretary general of National Association of Broadcasters, said they partnered with ACME to support good journalism to improve the viewer and readership audiences.

 “Good journalism is the bedrock of the media. We, therefore, had to partner with ACME because when there is good journalism, the readership audience will also improve,” he said.
The Uganda National Journalism Awards started in 2014 and are organised by ACME. They celebrate and promote exceptional, in-depth and enterprising journalism that informs public debate and holds the power to account.

Some of the winners
Agriculture reporting
•Winner is John Okeya (The Cooperator Magazine)
•1st runner-up - Paul Murungi  (Daily Monitor)
•2nd runner-up- Stuart Twinomujuni (Urban TV)

Investigative reporting
•Winner - Solomon Serwanjja and Joshua Mujjunga (NBS)
•1st runners-up - Daniel Lutaaya and Godfrey Badebye (NBS)
•2nd runner-up - Irene Abalo Otto (Daily Monitor)

Photo and video journalism
•Winners- Collins Rukundo, Songa-Stone Mwesigwa and Victor Opira (Storyteld)
•1st runner-up - Nicholas Bamulanzeki (The Observer)
•2nd runner-up - Abubaker Lubowa of Daily Monitor

Public works and infrastructure reporting
•Winner - Canary Mugume (NBS)
• 1st runners-up - Samuel Sanya and Shamim Saad (New Vision)
•2nd runner-up - Simon Ssemazzi (Urban TV)

Arts reporting
•Winner Frank Walusimbi (NTV) 
•1st runner-up - Daniel Lutaaya and Thomas Kitimbo (NBS) 
•2nd runner-up  - Joseph Sabiti, (NBS, former)

Data journalism
•Winner - Nobert Atukunda (Daily Monitor)
•1st runner-up- Jonan Tusingwire and late Felix Basiime (InfoNile)

News illustration
•Winner Walter Mwesigye (NTV)

Political reporting
•Winner - Paul Kayonga and Godfrey Badebye (NBS TV)
• 1st runner-up - Paul Kayonga (NBS TV)
•2nd runner-up - Benard Yiga (UBC)

Energy & extractives reporting
•Winner - Gerald Tenywa (New Vision)
•1st runner-up - Dennis Sigoa (UBC)
•2nd runners-up - Lydia Nabakoza, Sswaliki Ssali and Hassan Wasswa (NBS TV)

Explanatory reporting
•Winner - Canary Mugume (NBS TV)
•1st runner-up award - Nobert Atukunda and Isaac Mufumba (Daily Monitor)
•2nd runner-up - Dennis Sigoa (UBC)

Sports reporting
•Winner - Olivia Nakate (Urban TV)
•1st runner-up - Baker Lwesabula (BBS).
• 2nd runner-up - Solomon Ssaka (NBS)