EAC/EABC WINNERS AWARDS AT MUNYONYO,KAMPALA

Ho.Amama Mbabazi The Prime Minister of Uganda(6th from right in the group pictures with winners of 6th East Africa Community and East Africa Bussiness Council at Munyonyo,Kampala,Uganda

Kampala. For the second year running, The Citizen Bureau Chief in Arusha Zephania Ubwani has won a top award in the media contest organized by the East African Community (EAC) and the East African Business Council (EABC).

Mr. Ubwani emerged the first in the Higher Education Reporting Award ahead of two other contestants from Burundi and Rwanda during the prize giving ceremony at a Kampala hotel on Thursday evening.

Eleven other journalists from all the five EAC partner states; Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Burundi and Rwanda were feted and took home certificates, plaques, iPads as well as cash prizes.

The Citizen journalist was the only from Tanzania to enter the finals of the race this year. In all there were 12 finalists in the seven categories contested.

The National Media Group (NMG) scooped most of the awards through its popular titles; The East African, Daily Nation, Daily Monitor, The Citizen and NTV.

The overall winner was Ben Agina from NTV who won the EAC Secretary General's Award for his exclusive coverage which saw him travelling across the region to expose a host trade cumbersome barriers.

Mr. Ubwani's winning article was on an initiative taken by EABC and the Inter University Council on East Africa (IUCEA) to link the academic and research institutions and the industry in order to create jobs, enhance production and boost economy.

Last year, the Arusha-based journalist won an award in the Health Reporting Category. He is the only Tanzanian journalist so far to win the EAC Media Awards introduced some years ago.

Other top winners were Christabel Ligami of The East African ( Health Reporting and Business and Financial Reporting categories) and Daily Nation's Joshua Masinde (Agriculture and Food Security)

NMG journalists who emerged runner-up were Dorothy Nakaweesa (Daily Monitor), Lydia Namono (Daily Monitor), Patrick Mayoyo (Daily Nation), Dicta Asiimwe (The East African). The latter was a runner's up in two categories.

A young Rwandan journalist with The New Times Eric Kabeera was an impressive lot. He emerged first in two categories ( Environmental Reporting and Political Federation) and came third in Higher Education category which was won by The Citizen.

Other winners were Eric Nsengiyumva from a Burundi media outlet called IGIHE and Isaac Mwangi of the East African News Agency (Eana).

The Uganda prime minister Amama Mbambazi, EAC secretary general Dr. Richard Sezibera, EABC executive director Andrew Luzze graced the ceremony at the Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort.

Mr. Ubwani joined Mwananchi Communications Limited (MCL) which publishes The Citizen on September 1st, 2004 and was  posted to Arusha in the same capacity. He has consistently been reporting on EAC integration matters.