THE Union of Tanzania
Press Clubs (UTPC) has been awarding the Professional Integrity for Male and
Female Journalists Award for two years, the first was announced in 2023. The
purpose of this award is to support public interest journalism, which has been
increasingly threatened.
In 2024, UTPC organized
the award ceremony at KBH Hotel in Singida, coinciding with the global
commemoration of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against
Journalists and the annual general meeting.
This award popular known
as “The Daud Mwangosi Prize” organized annually by UTPC honors Channel Ten
Journalist Daud Mwangosi who was killed by Police in Iringa while executing his
duties of gathering news.
Speaking at the event,
UTPC President Deogratius Nsokolo emphasized that the Professional Integrity
Award aligns with UTPC’s strategic plan for 2025, which is committed to
ensuring that “Journalists operate at the highest standards”.
We are dedicated to preserving public interest journalism that addresses the needs of the community rather than aligning with narratives that serve the interests of government leaders
During the event, Jackline Kuwanda from Chanzo Online was honored as the outstanding winner in the female category, while Juma Issihaka from Mwananchi Communications Limited (MCL) received the award in the male category.
Other winners were Essau
Ng’umbi of Nukta Africa, Adela Madyane - Nipashe, Najjat Omar-The Chanzo and
Samweli Ndoni from Highlands FM.
The first winners accumulated
Tanzania Shillings 1,000,000, Trophy and certificate, the second winners earned
Tanzania Shilings 700,000 and certificate while the third winners scored
Tanzania Shillings 500,000 and certificate.
Sammy Awami, the
freelance journalist and researcher, chairman of the panel judges along with
Joyce Shebe, Chief Editor at Clouds Media Group (CMG), and Nuzulak Deusen,
Director at Nukta Africa, remarked that choosing the winners was challenging,
as they were impressed by the high quality of many of the submissions.
Hundreds of journalists submitted their work, but in the end, we selected the best according to the criteria set by the UTPC
The guest of honor for the evening, Halima Omary Dendego, Regional Commissioner for Singida, expressed her gratitude to the UTPC for choosing Singida to host its awards night. She also praised the role of journalists in driving development both in Singida and across the nation.
I know you're facing challenges, and my prayers are with you for the resilience to continue your important work. As journalists, you did an incredible job, especially during the last local election in 2019, when only 33% of voters were registered. This year, thanks to your efforts, that number has skyrocketed to 92.5%. This remarkable increase is a direct result of your dedication and hard work.
As a gesture of support,
Dendego announced a personal contribution of 1,000,000 Tanzanian Shillings for
the first-place winners. “As a mother, I cannot remain silent when my children
do a good job. I am offering 1,000,000 to each of the first-place winners,” she
said.
Dendego was accompanied
by Godwin Gondwe, the District Commissioner, and the Regional Chairperson of
the ruling party, Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM), Martha Mlata.
Lessons from the winners
The lesson I’ve learned here is dissatisfaction with what you initially received. But also, strengthening the work we do every time. Last year, I was the second runner-up, so I looked at where I fell short in order to improve myself and become better.
Jackline Kuwanda.
Kuwanda who writes for
the Chanzo Online acknowledged that the position of the last year as she was
the second winner triggered to put more efforts by studying the gap from her
previous work submitted.
My future plans are to become an international journalist, where I will be able to do my work of informing the world.
Esau Ng’umbi who reports to Nukta Africa who was second-place winner to him this awards means a lot " The award is incredibly significant to me and holds great value in my career journey”.
Firstly, it makes me feel appreciated, as my work is being recognized for its positive impact on society. This recognition has boosted my confidence and serves as a reminder that as a journalist, my responsibility is to continue producing stories that not only touch people's lives but also help them make informed decisions.
Additionally, since I work in the digital media space, this award also serves as a reminder to fellow journalists that we can leverage digital platforms and tools to transform lives through our storytelling. For the second time, Nukta the Podcast has received prestigious awards—two from the Media Council of Tanzania (MCT) and one from the Union of Tanzania Press Clubs (UTPC).
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