It was glitz and glamour as all 7 Kenyan journalists shortlisted for the CNN MultiChoice Awards bagged 7 awards in the galla event held last Saturday in Lusaka Zambia.
Tom Mboya and Evanson Nyaga edged over 34 finalists in their story “The African Tribe in India” which aired on Citizen Television and was selected from among 1,799 entries from 42 nations across the African continent.
Their work tells a story of an African tribe based in Karnataka, Southern India which is little known and long forgotten. It was voted the best in Television Features Award (TV60) category.
In delight, Tom explained the importance of cutting the niche as a journalist and thanked God for the award.
“Journalism is a profession that allows you to go in, and then bring out what the world needs to know. It is humbling that the Father Lord has brought us this,” said Mboya.
A member of the judging panel, journalist and media consultant Joel Kibazo said: “This story introduced the viewer to something new, an African tribe in India few know about. The journalist took the viewer with him to India, and the village to speak to the tribe members. An all round detailed story that was well told.”
Other winners from Citizen TV were Waihiga Mwaura and Jepitha Mwai Mwangi for their story about the ‘Maasai Cricket Warriors’, scooping a prize in the Sports Award Category.
NTV’s Nimrod Taabu Mwagamoyo and Charles Kinyua Kariuki also took home a Television News Bulletin Award for their story about the ‘Pokot Water Challenges,’ a story that highlights the pangs that the Pokot people are going through while looking for water.
The overall CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2012 wins a substantial cash prize, a visit to CNN Centre in Atlanta to attend the three-week CNN Journalism Fellowship, along with the prize awarded to all category winners, which consists of a laptop computer, a printer, a Nokia 800 Lumia and an unspecified cash prize.
The prestigious event was sponsored by A24 Media, African Development Bank (AfDB), The Coca-Cola Company, Ecobank, Ericsson,Intercontinental Hotel, Lusaka, PP Media, (Tanzania), MSD,Nokia, SuperSport, and UNICEF.
The awards were established in 1995 to encourage, promote and recognize excellence in African journalism.
The writer is a Communication and Journalism student at Moi University
