Uganda National Journalist Awards: 15 Vision Group reporters shortlisted

All is set for Uganda’s journalism fraternity to celebrate their stories.

The winners contesting for awards in 20 different categories under Uganda National Journalism Awards (UNJA) 2022 will be announced tonight, December 14, 2022.  

This will take place during a gala starting at 4:30 pm at Mestil Hotel Conference Centre in Nsambya, Kampala. 

Among the highlights, Rachael Akidi Okwir, BBC World Service head of East Africa, will deliver a keynote address on covering Africa in a rapidly changing digital landscape. 

In a shortlist seen by New Vision, the African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME) has 59 competing for the 2022 edition of the UNJA.  

According to the Africa Center for Media Excellence (ACME), 15 Vision Group journalists covering different platforms, including New Vision, Bukedde and Urban TV, have been shortlisted.  

The awards, launched in 2014, celebrate and promote exceptional, in-depth and enterprising journalism that informs public debate and holds power to account. They 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. 

“Recognition and reward are proven ways of motivating professionals to maintain good standards and to raise their performance,” ACME executive director George Lugalambi says. 

“These awards showcase the best of Ugandan journalism and inspire media platforms to continue striving to excel,” he adds. 

Across the media industry, 196 journalists participated in the awards, submitting 283 entries for the competition. About 30% of participating journalists are women and 40% of entries were from journalists based outside Kampala. 

A panel of eight judges drawn from the media, academia and public communications adjudicated the entries. Dr Charlotte Kawesa Ntulume of the Department of Journalism and Communication at Makerere University chaired the panel. 

This year, funding and support for the Uganda National Journalism Awards is provided by a range of corporate, public sector and civil society partners. 

George Lugalambi (R) the Executive Director African Centre for Media Excellence looks on as Flora Aduk the Communications Manager Nile Breweries signs at the launch of the Uganda Journalism Awards 2022 at Fairway Hotel on November 29 2022.

The awards sponsors include MTN Uganda, TotalEnergies EP Uganda, CIPESA, Stanbic Bank Uganda and National Drug Authority. 

Others are the National Social Security Fund, AgriFarm Uganda, Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, CivSource Africa, Centre for Policy Analysis, Nile Breweries, Centenary Bank, National Association of Broadcasters, Diamond Trust Bank and Uganda Development Bank. 

“Quality journalism can no longer be taken for granted,” Lugalambi says. 

“It needs to be celebrated and we’re grateful to every journalist who participated in the competition and all the sponsors who responded to our call for support,” he adds. 

THE SHORTLIST 

The following are the stories that made the shortlist for the Uganda National Journalism Awards 2022. 

George Lugalambi (Right) the Executive Director African Centre for Media Excellence looks on as Charlotte Ntulume a Makerere University lecturer department of Journalism and Communication signs at the launch of the Uganda Journalism Awards 2022

Agriculture 

• Climate change: Food shortage hits Teso region 
• Betty Amamukirori, New Vision 
• GMO research: Lack of law complicates it 
• Isaac Khisa, The Independent 
• Why Ugandans are hungry (story series) 
• Joshua Kato, New Vision 
  
    
  
  Arts 

• Drum makers decry competition 
• Andrew Kaggwa, Daily Monitor 
• Mama Awards, money and music 
• Daniel Lutaaya, NBS Television 
• Outlawed animal parts spell death for Bwola dance 
• Caroline Ayugi, Daily Monitor 
• Weaving a new twist 
• Anthony Maina, Alex Sekitoleko and Moses Serugo, Framez & Wavez 
  
    
  
  Business, finance and economy 

• Business, multinational companies dodging taxes (series) 
• Ismail Musa Ladu, Daily Monitor 
• Illegal entry points fuel silent gold trade along Uganda-DRC border 
• Federick Dramadri, Radio Pacis 
• Timber exports: Standards, splitting remain leading constraints 
• Nelson Mandela Muhoozi, New Vision 
  
    
  
  Education 

• Busoga University operating underground, students in distress 
• Thomas Kitimbo and Daniel Lutaaya, NBS Television 
• My silent world 
• Irene Abalo and Susan Mujjawa, NMG Uganda 
• Payroll fraud: How teachers get cheated 
• John Masaba, New Vision 
  
    
  
  Energy and extractive industries 

• The sinking environment 
• Canary Mugume, Jamila Mulindwa and Godfrey Badebye, NBS Television 
• Uganda’s first oil: What is at stake 
• Cliff Abenaitwe and Megan Lee, InfoNile 
• Who is smuggling mercury into Namayingo gold mines? (series) 
• George Bita, New Vision 
  
    
  
  Environment 

• Deforestation in Uganda (series) 
• Ronald Musoke, The Independent 
• Illegal sand mining leaves human, aquatic lives at risk 
• Alex Tumuhimbise, Daily Monitor 
• Rwenzori trans-border communities commercialising conservation 
• Shamim Saad, New Vision 
• Saving Uganda’s water thirsty cities 
• Gerald Tenywa, New Vision 
  
    
  
  Features 

• Embracing the patches 
• Anthony Maina, Alex Sekitoleko and Moses Serugo, Framez & Wavez 
• Martin Senkubuge finding the colourful side of vitiligo 
• Bamuturaki Musinguzi, Daily Monitor 
• Nakivubo Channel, where the good and bad meet 
• Richard Olwenyi and Joshua Mujunga, NBS Television 
• Road crashes kill more than Covid-19 
• Zurah Nakabugo, The Observer 
  
    
  
  Health 

• 14,000 Ugandans miss medical care when one doctor dies 
• Betty Amamukirori, New Vision 
• I can’t breathe 
• Daniel Lutaaya, NBS Television 
• Unsafe abortions robbing girls of motherhood 
• Agnes Kyotalengerire, New Vision 
  
    
  
  Investigative reporting 

• Corruption in the Administrator General’s Office exposed (series) 
• Richard Kayiira, Bukedde Television 
• Defiled by my father: A quest for justice 
• Rahim Nwali and Solomon Serwanjja, African Institute for Investigative Journalism 
• How church conned several firms of Shs17 billion 
• Ritah Kemigisa, NTV Uganda 
• Lives in the hands of quacks 
• Benson Ongom, NBS Television 
  
    
  
  Justice, law and order 

• Living with a bullet 
• Sudhir Byaruhanga, NTV Uganda 
• Obwegugungo bwa November 2020 
• Culton Scovia Nakamya, BBS Terefayina 
• The mess at LDC 
• Canary Mugume, Godfrey Badebye and Swaleh Swalik, NBS Television 
  
    
  
  Land and property 

• Ghost landlords 
• Victoria Bagaaya and Paul Kayonga, NBS Television 
• Inside Uganda’s land mess (series) 
• Esther Oluka, Daily Monitor 
• Land is the answer (series) 
• Edward Muhumuza, NTV Uganda 
  
    
  
  Local reporting 

• Dangerous profits: Why illegal ivory trade persists along Uganda-DRC border 
• John Dibaba, Radio Pacis 
• From captives to fighters for survival 
• Arnest Tumwesige, New Vision 
• Quarrels over rock delay road project 
• John Unzima, New Vision 
  
    
  
  National news (broadcast) 

• Amasasi ganyoose mu kikwekweto ky’okufuza abatemu e Masaka 
• Solomon Kaweesa, NTV Uganda 
• Children sell masks to survive during lockdown 
• Cliff Wamala, NTV Uganda 
• Double jeopardy: The resilience of women in cross-border trade 
• Culton Scovia Nakamya, BBS Terefayina 
  
    
  
  National news (print) 

• Kasaija’s tax burden 
• Isaac Khisa, The Independent 
• November riots: The lives we lost 
• Gillian Nantume, Daily Monitor 
• Uganda’s charcoal crisis (series) 
• Gerald Tenywa, New Vision 
  
    
  
  Photo and video journalism 

• Sinking land: Man and water collide as floods overtake landing site in Uganda 
• Miriam Watsemba, InfoNile 
  
    
  
  Political reporting 

• How boxers have been sucked into the ‘dirty game’ 
• Abdul-Nasser Ssemugabi, Daily Monitor 
• Olutalo lwa LC1 lutuse mu kooti 
• Jill Ainebyoona, Bukedde 
• What it means to have youngest cabinet 
• Umaru Kashaka, New Vision 
  
    
  
  Public accountability 

• Bribery hits Covid-19 vaccination 
• Cecilia Okoth, New Vision 
• Covid-19 money trail 
• Solomon Serwanjja and Rahim Nwali, NBS Television 
• Government prioritises VIP cars ahead of citizens’ health 
• Ritah Kemigisa, NTV Uganda 
  
    
  
  Public works and infrastructure 

• Will KCCA’s new infrastructure campaign solve city mess? 
• Ernest Jjingo, The Observer 
• Works budget 
• Paul Kayonga, NBS Television 
  
  Sports 

• Athletes rebranding in Sebei region 
• Olivia Nakate, Urban TV 
• Lack of support: West Nile female footballers’ talent fading away 
• Musa Sabir, Radio Pacis 
• The champions’ story 
• Samuel Mpoza, NTV Uganda 
• The dilemma of a classless para-athlete 
• Abdul-Nasser Ssemugabi, Daily Monitor