Moment of great honour for KTN

By Kipkoech Tanui

‘The nerve that never relaxes, the eye that never blanches, the thought that never wanders, the purpose that never wavers - these are the masters of victory’…Victoria Amat Curam

The heat inside Durban’s International Convention Centre rose as the crowd surged and Zulu dancers rhythmically stamped their feet on the ground.

Female dancers gyrated their hips as cameras zoomed on faces of anxious finalists of the 2009 CNN Multichoice African Journalist of the Year Award.

John-Allan Namu, right, holds one of his awards accompanied by Stella Ondimu, Public Relations Manager, MultiChoice and The Standard Managing Editor-Daily Editions - Kipkoech Tanui with Namu’s two other trophies.

Overall winner John-Allan Namu of KTN, second-left, Sammy Muraya of Metro FM, Violet Otindo of K24, JB Mwangi and James Moturi both of KTN display their trophies. Photos: Boniface Mwangi

The moment was electric, not just because of the dazzling multi-coloured lights beamed across the room, turning those around into silhouettes, but because of the moment.

The day was symbolic. Elsewhere in the country, Africa’s moral voice and anti-Apartheid icon Nelson Madiba Mandela, was basking in glory, embraced and garlanded by his great grandchildren. The gracious old man, grappling with frailty of age, had on that Saturday, July 18, stepped into the 91st year of his life.

And so, on the birthday of Mandela, hailed as ‘The Great Young African’, young African hearts bubbling with joy for his life, formed a mosaic of colour representative of the continent’s black, white, Asiatic and Arabic strands.

As this great moment unfurled a new chapter in the Kenya’s journalism was also opening slowly.

High anxiety

The wait was back-breaking, the anxiety nerve-racking and the mood a blend of exuberance and dread — more so for the 25 African journalists whose names were on the finalists’ list.

Kenya had six among the continent’s best who sat in the front pews of the fabulous hall that has hosted presidents and the captains of global economies.

Among them were KTN news anchor and reporter John-Allan Namu, as well as two cameramen — John Benson Mwangi and James Moturi Mogaka, better known as JB. When the curtains rolled, Mwangi and Moturi hugged Namu in a frenzy of celebration: They had each won prizes with him in two different categories.

Kenya’s first stamping of the feet in the packed theatre came when CNN’s Inside Africa presenter Isha Sesay called up a representative of award co-sponsor, IPP Media of Tanzania, to open the ‘secret envelope’ with the winner of the Television Feature Award. The hall, in particular the Kenyan corner, exploded into jubilation when the names Namu and Moturi were read out.

They would later be showered in equal measure with accolades and plastered with confetti — in a true sense they were treated like the bride and pride of Africa. Their winning submission was In the Shadow of Mungiki.

After six awards, Namu’s turn came again, making him the only winner then in two categories — but this time with JB. The presentation by British Airways was for their submission Scars and Sufurias, a story on the life of squalor faced by internally displaced persons after post-election violence.

Before Namu’s memorable moment, two other Kenyans starred by winning in their categories. They were Sammy Muraya of Metro FM on the radio category, and K24’s Violet Otindo on TV Environment category. Winning the award on the day of her sister’s burial, she dedicated it to her, and could not even go through her speech before she caved in to emotional turbulence.

On the platform

At 10:20pm in Kenya and 9:20pm in Durban, Mr Tony Maddox, Executive Vice President and Managing Director CNN International mounted the platform with Mr Nono Letele, Chief Executive of Multichoice South Africa Group. Maddox, imbued with the build of a rugby player, just like Namu, kept shifting his weight between his feet, as if weighed down by the envelope in his hands. It held the name of ultimate winner and Africa’s new guru of journalism, and TV supremo too.

After the pleasantries, it was Maddox’ turn to shake the hall to the root. Countries’ entrants held their breath; finalists stared with something like shock and awe, transfixed to their seats.

Moment of honour

But he need not have gone far — he let the cat out of the bag when he said it was the moment to honour a professional who, among other things, had won in two categories! There was none but KTN’s John-Allan Namu, who had in the first two wins, dedicated his triumph to his yet to be born son, the Standard Group family and the country of his love and pride, Kenya.

When his name was roared through the PA system Namu walked with the gait of an African King, tired from conquest but buoyed on by the dazzle of triumph in war. Zulu dancers ringed him, in a style of an old regal tradition derived from the way their ancestors feted King Shaka Zulu sometime back in history. When Namu finally got his words, he dedicated the ultimate victory to his country — and sung out the first stanza of the National Anthem. His moment had come, and so was KTN’s.

Looking at him, and reflecting on Kenya’s darkest hour when he did his stories, Harriet Woods seemed to whisper above the din: "You can stand tall without standing on someone. You can be a victor without having victims."

It was time to wine and dine, as well as shake a leg in Durban.