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Five The Independent writers nominated for top Ugandan journalism awards

FILE PHOTO: The best journalist 2016 Uganda Ronald Musoke (centre) of The Independent. Musoke is a finalist in two categories this year.

Haggai Matsiko leads a team of five The Independent writers shortlisted for the Uganda National Journalism Awards 2017.

The African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME) on Thursday announced a shortlist of 80 journalists whose 95 stories/entries have been evaluated for final accolades by a panel of 16 judges.

Investigative journalist Matsiko was nominated as a finalist for the Nile Breweries Award for Exceptional Journalism award and in three other categories. His The Independent colleagues Ronald Musoke  ( top last year),  Agnes Eriosi Nantaba, Ian Katusiime and Isaac Khisa are finalists in six categories.

The winner of the Exceptional Journalism award will be recognized as one who in the past year has exhibited extensive knowledge of his or her reporting beat, provides evidence of growth over the period of assessment, consistently produces quality work, and is highly regarded by others in the profession.

This year’s winners will be announced  April  12, 2017, at Golf Course Hotel in Kampala. Dr Louis Kasekende, the deputy governor of Bank of Uganda, will preside as chief guest. Cash prizes, a commemorative plaque and certificate will be given out.

Matsiko was nominated in three other categories for the following entries:

Energy, Oil and Gas mining – The Karuma, Isimba dams saga (click)

National News –  Inside the Shs1 trillion bailout (click)

Political reporting – Amama Mbabazi’s presidential petition (click)

According to a statement from ACME, the awards, organised with support from the Democratic Governance Facility and Hivos, celebrate and promote in-depth and enterprising journalism that informs public debate and holds the powerful to account. The awards are open to all journalists working for media outlets in Uganda or regional media houses with wide circulation and significant audience reach in the country.“While the awards serve to reward excellence, they are also a vital tool in informing us about the knowledge and skills gaps in Ugandan journalism,” said ACME Executive Director Peter G. Mwesige.

“The awards further provide us with a solid baseline on which to tailor our training programmes, small grants and mentoring efforts,” he said.

Last year’s winners with Chief Guest Justice James Ogoola and other winners

Record entry for awards

The ACME statement quoted Dr George Lugalambi, who has chaired the judging panel since the awards were first held in 2014, stating that the general standard of entries continued to improve year-on-year.

“More than ever, the shortlisted journalists produced stories that competed against some of the best in the industry and are truly deserving of a place on the final list,” Dr Lugalambi said.

According to ACME, 186 journalists from media outlets across Uganda participated in the 2017 competition, a 25 per cent increase over the previous year. There was also a marked increase in the number of stories entered.

The overall number of entries from print, broadcast and online platforms was 307, up from 237 in the 2016 edition.”

There were 20 categories with health, features, education and local reporting attracting the highest number of entries. Competition was greatest in the explanatory and education reporting categories.

The statement noted that during the judges’ final conference held on March 17, 2017, it was observed that while the quality of stories had improved, there were significant knowledge gaps in specialised beats such as justice, agriculture, environment and health that led to inadequate reporting.

THE SHORTLIST

Nile Breweries Award for Exceptional Journalism

  1. Benon Herbert Oluka – The Observer
  2. Carol Natukunda – New Vision
  3. Daniel Edyegu Enwaku – New Vision
  4. Haggai Matsiko – The Independent
  5. Solomon Serwanjja – NBS TV
  6. Raymond Mujuni – NTV Uganda

 

Category Journalist & media house Entry
Agriculture Benon Herbert Oluka,The Observer The genesis and failure of NAADS (series)
Immaculate Amony,Radio Wa Reaping big from fish farming
Ronald Kato,Urban Television The fall of Masaka Cooperative Union
Samuel Kamugisha,Daily Monitor Revamping Uganda’s coffee sector: Ray of hope from the west
Sheila Nduhukire and Abubakar Zirabamuzale,NTV Uganda Isingiro residents suffer through the worst drought in decades 
  

 

 

 

Arts and culture

Agnes Eriosi Nantaba,The Independent Money and campaign songs (click) 
Andrew Kaggwa,The Observer Buganda’s lost sounds (series)
Denis Nsubuga and John Unzima,New Vision Madi dance on the list of endangered cultures
Ivan Kimuli Kigozi and Abubakar Zirabamuzale,NTV Uganda Pursuing a career in music against all odds
Stephen Ssenkaaba,New Vision Wakaliwood: Uganda’s rudimentary answer to Hollywood (series)
 
  

 

 

 

Business, economy and finance

Frederic Musisi and Mark Keith Muhumuza,Daily Monitor Tanga pipeline to take more than just oil to sea
Isaac Khisa,The Independent Fishing in the dark on Lake Victoria (click)
Jonathan Adengo and Mark Keith Muhumuza,Daily Monitor 65 loan-stressed firms line up for Shs1 trillion taxpayer bailout
Mark Keith Muhumuza,Daily Monitor Debt: Has Uganda mortgaged its oil with increased borrowing?
Ronald Mugabe,New Vision Over 13 million workers do not have pension scheme
 Data journalism Edward R. Batte,Daily Monitor Illegal wildlife trade a thorn in tourism
Emma Namwanje Kisa, WeInformers Communities for the future
 
Editorial cartooning Chrisogon Atukwasize,Daily Monitor Come to daddy
 
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Education

Agness Nandutu,NTV Uganda Mbale and Bududa education challenges (series)
Benjamin Jumbe,93.3 KFM Kyangwali education report
Conan Daniel Businge,New Vision Surging free education numbers fail learning
Frank Walusimbi,NTV Uganda Plight of a teacher
Ian Katusiime,The Independent Bridge Schools saga (series) 
Moses Ndhaye,93.3 KFM How cultural practices affect the plight of girls in Uganda
Remmy Bahati,NBS TV UPE schools in Kasese district in dire need
Ronald Musoke,The Independent Rethinking science teaching (series)
Sheila Nduhukire,NTV Uganda Children in Mayuge face many hurdles to get an education
 
  

 

 

Energy, oil, gas and mining

Benon Herbert Oluka,The Observer The untold story of oil (series)
Frederic Musisi,Daily Monitor Discovery of commercial oil reserves ten years later (series)
Haggai Matsiko,The Independent The Karuma, Isimba dams saga 
Mark Keith Muhumuza,Daily Monitor Oil price: Are Uganda’s oil dreams dashed or merely delayed?
Michael Wambi,Uganda Radio Network From waste to resource: The role of biomass in Uganda’s energy mix
 
  Environment Bamuturaki Musinguzi,The EastAfrican Chilli, trenches reduce human-wildlife conflict in Murchison Falls
Benjamin Jumbe,93.3 KFM E-waste report
Gerald Tenywa,New Vision Poisoned quietly on Lake Victoria
John Masaba,New Vision Rwenzori suffers first pains of global warming
Ronald Mugabe,New Vision The war on plastic bags (series) 
 
  

 

 Explanatory reporting

Carol Natukunda,New Vision Patients detained over treatment debts
Mark Keith Muhumuza and Frederic Musisi,Daily Monitor How oil pipeline deal slipped out of Kenya’s hands
Paul Busharizi, Edward Anyole and Andante Okanya,New Vision How terrorists delivered death to 76 Ugandans
Raymond Mujuni,NTV Uganda Silent voices of war
Richard M. Kavuma,The Observer Term limits in Africa
Risdel Kasasira,Daily Monitor How UPDF planned and landed in Mogadishu
Solomon Serwanjja and Godfrey Badebye,NBS TV The dark world of drugs
 
  Features Geoffrey Mutegeki Araali,New Vision Education stalls as latrines spill over
Gillian Nantume,Daily Monitor Evelyn Amony on reclaiming a lost life
Pascal Kwesiga,New Vision Refugee girls in Adjumani share sanitary pads
Ronald Musoke,The Independent Massacre on Masaka Road 
Solomon Serwanjja and Thomas Kitimbo,NBS TV Born in captivity
 
  

 

 Health

Andrew Masinde,New Vision Uganda’s ambulance services (series)
Gloria Nakajubi,New Vision Exploring the impact and treatment of Hepatitis B (series)
Lillian Namusoke Magezi,New Vision Managing diabetes (series) 
Solomon Lubambula,104.1 Power FM Access to emergency health care
Zahara Namuli,NBS TV Vitiligo: We have seen it, but do we understand it?
 
  

 

 

 Investigative reporting

Andrew Bagala,Daily Monitor Masked police goons named, faces revealed
Charles Etukuri and Clare Namanya,New Vision Ugandan girls recount shocking tales from working abroad
Othman Semakula,Daily Monitor The case of UK stolen cars and their route to Uganda
Raymond Mujuni,NTV Uganda Men of rogue
Solomon Serwanjja and Godfrey Badebye,NBS TV Kifeesi, Kampala’s deadly thieves 
 
  

 

 

 

Justice, law and order

Carol Natukunda,New Vision More patients suing doctors
Derrick Kiyonga,The Observer Investigating Uganda’s mediation programme (series)
Frederic Musisi,Daily Monitor The dilemma of mentally ill inmates (series)
John Semakula,New Vision Fraudsters use courts to grab land 
Sulaiman Kakaire,The Observer Ten years on, industrial court fails to dispense timely justice
 
  

 

 

Local reporting

Benard Yiga,UBC Television Family planning low in Pallisa district
Daniel Edyegu Enwaku,New Vision Charcoal burning: A cancer eating Karamoja’s future away
EMar Okanokodi,Northern Uganda Media Club Commemorating the 2003 Pajule massacre
Francis Mugerwa,Daily Monitor Combating land grabbing in the oil-rich districts
Hope Mafaranga,New Vision She lost four children to a tribal conflict
 
Multimedia feature John Isingoma and Betty Amamukiror,Campus Times Intersex dilemma: to have or not to have surgery
Stephen Ssenkaaba,New Vision Kabbo ka muwala: An artistic take on the thorny subject of immigration
 
  

 

 

 

National news – Broadcast

Anita Muwanguzi,104.1 Power FM Population and the plight of teenage girls (series)
Benard Yiga,UBC Television The even year: Female genital mutilation still looms
Joan Akello,104.1 Power FM Why students of primary teacher colleges fail English and maths (series)
Joseph Sabiti,NBS TV Unanswered questions on Aine 
Raymond Mujuni,NTV Uganda The Kasese clashes (series) 
 
  

 

 

 

National news – Print

Carol Kasujja,New Vision Row erupts over cancer drugs
Emmanuel Ainebyoona,Daily Monitor Government officials fight over new cancer machine
Haggai Matsiko,The Independent Inside the Shs1 trillion bailout 
John Masaba,New Vision Survey: Most ministries do not interact with the public
Sulaiman Kakaire,The Observer Four universities producing fake nurses
 
  Photojournalism Abubaker Lubowa,Daily Monitor Who are they! “Goons” beat Besigye supporters.
Alex Esagala,Daily Monitor Police whip protesters
Badru Katumba,The EastAfrican Rest in peace
Patience Ahimbisibwe,Daily Monitor St Edward Gobero Primary School
Rachel Mabala,Daily Monitor For love of education
 
Political reporting Gabriel Iguma and Christopher Kayonga,WizArts Campaign finance
Haggai Matsiko,The Independent Amama Mbabazi’s presidential petition
Ivan Ssenabulya,93.3 KFM The electoral college voting system, an analysis
Joseph Sabiti,NBS TV The making of Museveni’s cabinet 
Solomon Serwanjja,NBS TV Government losing billions of shillings on MPs with pending election cases
 
  

 Sports

Abdul-Nasser Ssemugabi,Daily Monitor Disability sports (series) 
Andrew Kaggwa,The Observer Shall women ever play omweso? 
Billy Rwothungeyo,New Vision How Ugandans contribute to rich English PL footballers’ salaries
Makhtum Muziransa,Daily Monitor Women’s football vs. men’s: The differences and why they exist
Sam Mpoza,NTV Uganda Onduparaka FC an example of the power of football
 

 

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