NMG Journalists bag 2022 Media Awards
Nation Media Group reporters featured prominently among those feted at this year’s journalism awards, emerging top in many of the 18 categories set by the Media Council of Kenya. Of the winners announced at the Annual Journalism Excellence Awards (AJEA) in Nairobi on Friday night, ten were NMG journalists from its print and broadcast divisions. For a decade, the council has separately feted print, digital and broadcast journalists.
For the print section, NMG’s Elias Makori (sports journalist of the year), Sila Kiplagat (photojournalist of the year), Leon Lidigu (special topic category – Big Four Agenda), Brian Otieno (innovation and business reporting), Angela Oketch (health reporting) and Samuel Goko (cartoonist of the year) emerged top of the various categories listed. Coincidentally, all the pieces were published in the Sunday Nation.
“I am glad to have won this award every year since 2014, with the exception of 2020 when I was runners up,” Ms Oketch said. “This is not an individual award. I am only the face of the team. Every good story is always a result of team work. I thank God for it.” In the broadcast category, a number of NTV journalists bagged the top prize.
Robert Gichira (cameraman of the year), Sheila Sendeyo and Wambui Kurema (environmental reporting), Brygettes Ngana and Sam Doe (special topic mental health and wellness) and Jane Ngige and Wambui Kurema (Sports reporting) emerged winners in the broadcast category. “We are not usually in front of the camera and it is really great to be recognised,” Mr Gichira said.
Apart from trophies and certificates, the winners also walked away with cash prizes and training scholarships. Only stories published or aired from March 2021 to March this year were considered for the awards.
NMG Editor-in-Chief Mutuma Mathiu congratulated the winners, saying it is not easy to come out on top. “That is great news. The wins are a testament that we have maintained the quality of our journalism and that what we produce is the best in the market,” Mr Mathiu said.
The chief guest at the ceremony was Court of Appeal President Daniel Musinga, while Auditor- General Nancy Gathungu was the keynote speaker.