Citizen TV news anchor Victoria Rubadiri has won the 2020 BBC World News Komla Dumor Award taking the mantle from her colleague Waihiga Mwaura who has been holding on to the award for the last two years.
Rubadiri is the sixth winner of the award, following in the footsteps of Solomon Serwanjja, Waihiga Mwaura, Amina Yuguda, Didi Akinyelure and Nancy Kacungira. She is the second Kenyan to win the award after Waihiga.
The award was created to honour Komla Dumor, a presenter for BBC World News, who died suddenly aged 41 in 2014.
Rubadiri will begin her three-month placement at the BBC by attending a training course with the BBC Academy before joining BBC News teams – across TV, radio and online – which will provide her with the opportunity to gain skills and experience across BBC News platforms.
“Komla was a well-rounded journalist whose style, though authoritative, was also compassionate, empathetic and uplifting. His ability to give the facts comprehensively, and yet still be attuned to his audience, was something I admired and a skill I seek to emulate,” Rubadiri told the BBC.
“I am excited at the prospect of learning new skills at the BBC to be able to connect with audiences locally, regionally and internationally, no matter on which platform the story is being told,” she added.
According to a statement issued by the BBC, Rubadiri impressed judges with her eloquence and passion for telling African stories on both traditional media platforms and social media.
“We’re delighted to have Victoria on board to bring her insights and passion to the BBC,” said Jamie Angus, Director of BBC World Service Group.
“Komla had the incredible ability to give stories from the continent global resonance, and also deliver it with familiarity and understanding. We’re looking forward to seeing Victoria embody that by bringing her perspectives to life,” he added.
In 2018, her colleague Waihiga Mwaura beat other journalists from around Africa to emerge the first male journalist to clinch the Komla Dumor Award.
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