The list of finalistsof the prestigious CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2016 competition were announced today, with five Kenyans making it to the shortlist. Ferial Haffajee, Chair of the independent judging panel, said this year, the competition received 1637 entries – a record number – from 38 countries across the continent, including French and Portuguese-speaking Africa.
Out of the five, three are from Standard Group – two from KTN and one from the Standard newspaper. Kenyans are Asha Ahmed Mwilu & Rashid Idi of KTN, Daily Nation’s Cheboite Kigen, Dominic Omondi of The Standard, and Isaac Otidi Amuke, Commonwealth Writers. The Kenyans will battle it out with over 30 journalists from across Africa for the coveted CNN MultiChoice Africa Journalist of the Year and other category recognitions.
Finalists from other countries include, Adedayo Eriye Oketola, Saturday Punch, Nigeria; Aderonke Bello, naij.com, Nigeria; Ancillar Mangena, Forbes Africa, South Africa; Ati Metwaly, Al Ahram Weekly, Egypt; Bento Venâncio, Jornal Domingo, Mozambique; Bidossèssi Appolinaire Agoïnon, Office de Radiodiffusion et Télévision du Bénin, Benin; Chika Oduah, Nigeria, Freelancer at African Story Challenge, Media Initiative, Kenya; Cleófas Viagem, STV, Mozambique; Conan Daniel Businge & Gerald Tenywa, New Vision, Uganda; Coulibaly Zoumana, Le Patriote, Ivory Coast; Diana Neille, Richard Poplak, Shaun Swingler and Sumeya Gasa, Daily Maverick Chronicle, South Africa and Eromo Egbejule, Freelancer at Ventures Africa, Nigeria.
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Others are Faten Hayed, El Watan, Algeria; Fidelto Emidio Bata, STV, Mozambique; Folashade Adebayo, The Punch, Nigeria; Garreth van Niekerk, City Press, South Africa; James Oatway, The Sunday Times, South Africa; Jay Caboz, Forbes Africa, South Africa; Jean-Luc Emile, Teleplus, Mauritius; John Grobler, Namibia, and Fiona Macleod, Oxpeckers Investigative Environmental Journalism, South Africa; Lawrence Seretse, The Botswana Gazette, Botswana; Mia Malan, Mail & Guardian, South Africa; Teresa Fuquiadi, Jornal Nova Gazeta, Angola; Veronica Narkwor Kwabla, Tv3 Network, Ghana; Veronica Onuchi, TVC News Africa, Nigeria; Yemisi Akinbobola, Ogechi Ekeanyanwu & Paul Bradshaw, IQ4News for Premium Times, Nigeria.
The independent judging panel, chaired by Haffajee, Chair of the Judging Panel & Editor-in-Chief, City Press, South Africa, includes: Debo Adesina, Editor-in-Chief, Guardian Newspapers, Nigeria; Jean-Paul Gérouard, Former Editor-in-Chief, France Télévisions; Eleni Giokos, Africa Correspondent, CNN; Fernando Gonçalves, Editor, Savana, Mozambique; Anton Harber, Editor-in-Chief, eNCA, South Africa; Joel Kibazo, Media & Public Affairs Consultant; Amadou Mahtar Ba, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman, AllAfrica Global Media; Wanja Njuguna, Senior Lecturer, Namibia University of Science & Technology & CNN Journalist of the year 2000; David Ohito, Digital Editor, The Standard Media Group, Kenya and José Sebastião Paulo, Professor of Journalism, University Agostinho Neto, Angola.
The finalists will enjoy an all-expense paid four day programme of workshops, media forums and networking in Johannesburg, South Africa, culminating in a Gala Award Ceremony in October 2016.
Tony Maddox, Executive Vice-President and Managing Director of CNN International said: “This year has seen a record number of entries for the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards, from a diverse array of countries across the continent. The passion which African journalists display for telling compelling and top class stories knows no bounds. Once more, CNN proudly continues its commitment to encouraging inspired journalistic excellence with these awards.”
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