AJEA 2023: NMG dominates in journalism awards

Nation Media Group (NMG) journalists won big at this year’s journalism awards held in Nairobi on Thursday night.

Of the victors announced at the Annual Journalism Excellence Awards (AJEA), 13 were from NMG’s print and broadcast sections.

Group Managing Editor Pamella Sittoni, who is an accomplished journalist and newsroom leader, led the team with the “Lifetime Achievement Award”.

Ms Sittoni, who joined the company in 1993, left a decade later to join Standard Media Group and in 2005. She became the first woman in Kenya to hold the position of Managing Editor of a daily newspaper. She later went on to work with UNICEF, as a communication specialist for six years before rejoining Nation Media Group in 2012.

Mr Larry Ngala, a seasoned golf journalist who joined Nation in 1974, was also honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award also in the Print category.

After attending business school in the United States, Larry worked briefly for the Voice of America and the United Nations where his interest in journalism grew, before returning back to the country.

“I would write about different sports ranging from athletics, basketball and volleyball, but I realised there was a gap in golf reporting because my predecessor (who was a foreigner) would only cover elite golf clubs yet we had many others across the country. I also wanted to demystify the notion that Golf is a rich man’s game so that more people can take up and enjoy this sport,” he said.

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Senior Health reporter Angela Oketch, who was nominated alongside colleagues Agatha Gichana and Dudley Gachiku, expressed her excitement at carrying the day in the Print Gender Reporting Category with her story My father, My Husband: Teen’s painful confession.

“I felt mentally tortured after writing this story but I am glad the young girl was rehabilitated. I can proudly report that she gave birth last year and is now back in class in Form four. Her father was also arrested and is facing charges. I always hope that the stories I write can drive policy changes for the greater good of all,” she said.

NTV’s Ibrahim Karanja won the best investigative story (TV category) for his piece titled Black Gold Heist, which probed the rot in Kenya’s coffee sector.

Videographer Adrams Mulama, Video editor Pauline Wakaba and NTV Creative designer Levi Wafula were also feted for the same story.

NMG journalists who won

Pamella Sittoni—Lifetime Achievement Award

Larry Ngala—Lifetime Achievement Award

Angela Oketch—Gender Reporting, Print

Leon Lidigu—Health Reporting, Print

Ibrahim Karanja—Best Investigative Story, TV (Alongside Videographer Adrams Mulama, Video editor Pauline Wakaba and NTV Creative designer Levi Wafula)

Elvis Ondieki—Development and Public Affairs Reporting, Print

Fred Muitiriri—Development and Public Affairs Reporting, TV (Story aired on TV47)

Lilys Njeru—Best Sports Story, Print

James Kahongeh—Agriculture and Food Security, Print

Samwel Muigai (Igah)—Cartoonist of the Year