Nation Media Group stole the limelight at the inaugural Photojournalism Association of Kenya (PAK) awards gala at the Laico Regency, Nairobi, on Sunday night.

NMG’S Daily Nation scooped the highly coveted Photo Desk of the Year award as well as four in the other eight categories.

Nation’s Evans Habil won the news category with his iconic photo of Nasa principal Raila Odinga being whisked away by his bodyguards after police fired teargas at anti-iebc protesters outside Anniversary Towers.

Ms Phoebe Okal topped the wildlife category for a courageous photo of men running away from an agitated elephant in Meru County.

Other winners from the NMG team were Mr Ondari Ogega in the creative category and Mr Cheboite Kigen (humanitarian).

The daily life category award went to EPA’S Daniel Irungu.

Ms Monicah Mwangi of The Star newspaper was declared the Photojournalist of the Year besides clinching the environment award.

Mt Kenya University’s director of quality assurance, linkages and partnerships, Prof Mwangi Wanderi, who was the chief guest, said photojournalists deserve to be appreciated for putting their lives on the frontline to bring stories to life.

He pledged to assist in getting scholarships for them.

Veteran photojournalist Mr Azim Sayyid decried poor sports entries in the sports category, which had no winner.

PAK president Thomas Mukoya said the inaugural event was the beginning of raising the bar for photojournalism.

By Valentine Obara