Standard Group wins big as journalists feted in excellence awards

KTN investigative journalists Mohammed Ali (left) and John Allan Namu show their trophies during the Media Council Awards held at KICC. Photo: Jenipher Wachie/Standard

Standard Group journalists shone during the 2015 Annual Journalism Excellence Awards (AJEA) held on Monday night, taking home several awards among them the prestigious Journalist of the year Award.

KTN’s exposé of ‘fake’ preacher Prophet Kanyari won John Allan Namu and Mohammed Ali both the Journalist of the Year Award and the Good Governance (Television section) Journalist of the Year Awards.

“I dedicate this award to my wife who is always concerned about my safety every time I am in the field pursuing a story. She always tells me that I might get killed due to my exposés,” Ali who is famously known for his TV Programme Jicho Pevu said in his acceptance speech.

He added “But, I always remind her that I am doing this so as to better the lives of my children and those of others,” said Mohammed Ali.

“We attribute our success to team work,” John Allan Namu said.

Standard Newspaper’s Paul Wafula and Nyambega Gisesa won the Good Governance Journalist of the Year award in print section for their series Scars of War that told the stories of the agony facing families of fallen soldiers.

Standard newspaper journalists Paul Wafula (left) and Nyambega Gisesa won awards in the Good Governance category. (Photo: Jenipher Wachie/Standard)

“We dedicate this award to our soldiers fighting in Somalia so as to make our country secure,” said Gisesa, who became the first journalist to win in a single category three times.

Standard on Saturday’s reporter Joy Wanja Muraya was the winner in the Children and Youth Affairs Reporting category while Features Writer Abigael Sum won the Tourism Reporting Journalist of the Year.

Leading TV station KTN took home most of the awards in the Television section. Those awarded were Christine Muthee (Sports Reporting), Catherine Omwandho and Francis Githae (Health Reporting), John Juma and Moses Baya (Arts and Culture) and Phillip Keitany (Business Reporting).

Other big winners for the night include Joe Kadhi and Esther Kamweru who received the Lifetime Achievement award.

Pauline Kairu of Daily Nation’s DN won in two categories namely ICT and Telecommunications and Health Reporting Categories with John Nene of the BBC also receiving two awards in the Radio section, Sports Reporting and Arts and Culture categories.

Eunice Kilonzo of Daily Nation was feted as the Young Journalist of the Year with Smriti Vidyarthi taking home the Best TV Bulletin Award.

During the ceremony, Prof PLO Lumumba who was the guest of honour called on journalist to report on issues that make the society better.

UNDP, one of the sponsors of the event, hailed the Media Council of Kenya for promoting professionalism in the media industry.

“We continue to support accurate and independent reporting in the highly diversified media,”- Maria-Threase of UNDP said.

Since the launch of the awards in 2012, The Standard Group has won the prestigious Journalist of the Year Award three times for the four years.

The 2012 final award was won by Mohamed Ali, Nyambega Gisesa took the award in 2013 whereas Mohamed Ali and John Allan Namu won the coveted prize in the 2015 awards.

 

List of the Annual Journalism Excellence Awards 2015 winners

Journalists of the year winner- John Allan Namu and Mohammed Ali, KTN

Lifetime achievement award winners-Joe Kadhi and Esther Kamweru

Good governance reporting, TV winner-Mohammed Ali and John Allan Namu – KTN

Good governance reporting, Print winner-Paul Wafula and Nyambega Gisesa, Standard Group

Good governance reporting, Radio winner-Josphat Kioko, Baraka FM

News Bulletin Award- Smriti Vidyarthi

Young Journalist of the year winner-Eunice Kilonzo, Daily Nation

Tourism Reporting winner-Abigael Sum, Standard

ICT and telecommunication’s reporting winner-Pauline Kairo

Children and youth affair reporting winner-Joy Wanja, Standard

Environment reporting winner-Verah Okeyo, Daily Nation

Sports reporting print winner- Isaac Swila, Daily Nation

Children and Youth Affair Radio-Heminigilder Mugeni, Nation FM

Gender reporting Print- Lydia Matata, TheStar

Environment award Radio-Ali M -Radio Salam

Sports Reporting, Radio-John Nene,BBC

Gender reporting, TV-Francis Kariuki, K24

Sports reporting, TV winner-Christine Muthee, Standard Group

Tourism reporting, Radio winner-Solomon Zully, Radio Salaam

Children & Youth Affairs TV-Moses Mwakisha and Sally Mbilu Citizen TV

Health reporting, Print winner – Pauline Kairu, Daily Nation

Health reporting, Radio winner- George Otieno, Baraka FM

Health reporting, TV winners-Catherine Omwandho and Francis Githae, KTN

Arts and Culture, Print winner-Angela Oketch, Daily Nation

Arts and Culture, Radio – Winner: John Nene, BBC

Arts and Culture, TV – Winner: John Juma and Moses Baya – KTN

Business reporting, Print Winner-Wanjohi Kabukuru, Diplomat East Africa

Business reporting, Radio – Winner: George Aoko, Citizen Radio

Business reporting TV winner-Phillip Keitany, KTN