The executive producer of South African channel e.tv’s Factuals – Crime and Investigation Unit, Sam Rogers, beat out 2,074 entries from 40 African counties to be named CNN MultiChoice African Journalist at the 2010 Awards Ceremony held on 29 May in Kampala, Uganda.
Rogers’ winning programe was Curse of the Nobody People which exposes the discrimination against and sometimes shocking fate of albinos in Tanzania. She was one of 27 finalists and was a winner in the category of Television Features Award.
Parisa Khosravi, Senior Vice President of international newsgathering for CNN Worldwide, presented Sam Rogers with the Award. Said Rogers: “I’m astounded, very honoured and so glad the story has a platform. People can now see what’s really going on. The truth has been outed.’
Chair of the judging panel, journalist and media consultant Joel Kibazo said: “The journalist told the story with care and sensitivity. She did deep research covering all the angles including the victims, traditional doctors and even the police and the local media. The victims were given a voice and also overcame risks in telling the story. It is a complete piece of work’.
The evening also recognised Mustafa Haji Abdinur as this year’s recipient of the Free Press Africa Award, for his work in Somalia including the “Peace Journalism’ initiative which he launched with the help of fellow Somali journalists. The Award is also in recognition of all the journalists in Somalia who have put their lives at risk in telling the story. There are nine journalists who died during 2009 whilst fulfilling their professional duties:
Abdulkhafar Abdulkadir Hasan, freelance
Mohamed Amin Adan Abdulle, Radio Shabelle
Hassan Zubeyr Haji Hassan, Al-Arabiya
Mohamud Mohamed Yusuf, Radio IQK
Mukhtar Mohamed Hirabe, Radio Shabelle
Abdirisak Mohamed Warsame, Radio Shabelle
Hassan Mayow Hassan, Radio Shabelle
Winners in the individual competition categories are:
ARTS & CULTURE AWARD, presented by John-Allan Namu, CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2009.
Winner: Kofi Akpabli, Freelance for Daily Graphic, Ghana
Title: The Serious Business of Soup in Ghana
ECONOMICS & BUSINESS AWARD, presented by Norah Odwesso, Public Affairs and Communications Director for the Coca-Cola East & Central Africa
Winner: Kaari Wainaina and Francis Mugo Mwangi, NTV Nation Broadcasting Division, Kenya
Title: Granny’s Bank
ENVIRONMENT AWARD, presented by Anthony Okpanachi, Ecobank, Managing Director of Kenya and Cluster head of the EAC region
Winner: Halima Abdallah Kisule, EastAfrican (Nation Media Group), Uganda
Title: Cry, the Faithful Crane
FRANCOPHONE GENERAL NEWS AWARD: PRINT, presented by Jean-Paul Gerouard, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, France 3
Winner: Alexandre Lebel Ilboudo, Le Patriote, Cote D’Ivoire
Title: Les Terres Toujours Refusees aux Planteurs Burkinabes
FRANCOPHONE GENERAL NEWS AWARD: TV / RADIO, presented by Jean-Paul Gerouard, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, France 3
Winner: Najlae Benmbarek, 2M TV (Programme Grand Angle), Morocco
Title: Les Oublies de San Nicola
FREE PRESS AFRICA AWARD, presented by Joel Kibazo, Chair of the judging panel.
Winner: Mustafa Haji Abdinur, Radio Simba, Somalia
Plus nine journalists killed in 2009:
Abdulkhafar Abdulkadir Hasan, freelance; Mohamed Amin Adan Abdulle, Radio Shabelle; Hassan Zubeyr Haji Hassan, Al-Arabiya; Mohamud Mohamed Yusuf, Radio IQK; Mukhtar Mohamed Hirabe, Radio Shabelle; Nur Muse Hussein, Radio IQK; Abdirisak Mohamed Warsame, Radio Shabelle; Said Tahlil Ahmed, HornAfrik; Hassan Mayow Hassan, Radio Shabelle.
HIV/AIDS REPORTING IN AFRICA AWARD, presented by Hopewell Chin’ono, CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2008
Winner: Lucas Ledwaba, Freelance for DRUM, South Africa
Title: Body of Work:
– Free State’s ARV Shame
– Dying to Get Better
– We Want Answers
– Working Together
MSD HEALTH & MEDICAL AWARD, presented by Donald de Korte, Executive Director Institutional Business, Eastern Europe, Middle East Africa MSD (Merck & Co., Inc) Merck Sharp & Dohme
Winner: Teresa Chirwa, Zodiak Broadcasting Station, Malawi
Title: Medical Doctor Risks Lives of HIV Positive People by Putting them on Illegal Cancer Trial
MOHAMED AMIN PHOTOGRAPHIC AWARD, presented by Salim Amin, Chairman, A24 Media
Winner: Boniface Mwangi, Freelance for The Star, Kenya
Title: Body of work “The Boy Child in Sub Saharan Africa’
PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE GENERAL NEWS AWARD, presented by Arlindo Lopes, Secretary General, SABA
Winner: Sebastiao Vemba, Novo Jornal, Angola
Title: Body of work:
– Demoliçao do Bairro Benfica: Adeus Ilha
– Ilheus no Zango: Vida ao Relento
– Historias do Zango: E o Tempo Passou, Mas Nada Mudou!
PRINT GENERAL NEWS AWARD, presented by Richard Kavuma, CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2007
Winner: Emmanuel Mayah, Daily Sun, Nigeria
Title: Tears of African Migrants
RADIO GENERAL NEWS AWARD, presented by Nolo Letele, Group CEO, MultiChoice South Africa
Winner: Kassim Mohamed, Star FM, Kenya
Title: I am Married to a Pirate
SPORT AWARD, presented by Anthony Dara, CEO, NN24, Nigeria
Winner: Leon Ssenyange, NTV Uganda, Uganda
Title: Punching in the Dark
TELEVISION – GENERAL NEWS – FEATURE/CURRENT AFFAIRS AWARD, presented by Reginald Mengi, Executive Chairman, IPP Media, Tanzania
Winner: Sam Rogers, e.TV, South Africa
Title: Curse of the Nobody People
TELEVISION – GENERAL NEWS – NEWS BULLETIN AWARD, presented by Jeff Kupsky, President, Turner Broadcasting System Europe Ltd
Winner: Roseline Wangui, NTV Kenya; and Charles Kariuki, World Vision Kenya for NTV
Title: Undying Quest for Education
TOURISM AWARD, presented by Mr Mahmoud JanMohamed, Managing Director Serena Hotels
Winner: Pelu Awofeso, Freelance for Next on Sunday, Nigeria
Title: Body of work :
– City of God
– The Biafra of Bunkers
Commendations were awarded in eight categories.
Tsitsi Matope, Public Eye, Lesotho
Lamia Tagzout, El Watan, Algeria
Njaka Andriamahery, TV Plus Madagascar
Zipporah Karani, Kenya Television Network (KTN), Kenya
Sergio Jose Sitoe, Rede de Comuniaçao de Miramar, Mozambique
Thanduxolo Jika, Daily Dispatch, South Africa
Oarabile Mosikare, Botswana for Mail & Guardian, South Africa
Rose Ramsay, eNews, South Africa
