Journalists to be honoured at East Africa Award Gala Dinner.

Arusha, Tanzania, 13 March, 2011. The East African Business Council and East African Community Secretariat will tomorrow Monday, March 14, 2011 announce winners of the inaugural EAC-EABC East Africa Media Awards at a Gala Dinner to be held at Hilton Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya.

The Awards seek to honour journalists for excellence in reporting on East African Community integration. Journalist will be awarded in the following categories: Umoja Award honouring best reporter on EAC integration; EABC Chairman’s Award honouring the best business reporter; Green Award honouring the best reporter on environment.

There will an overall winner who will take home the EAC Secretary Generals Award sponsored by Coca Cola East and Central Africa.

The finalists for the Umoja Award sponsored by TradeMark East Africa include: Charles Kazooba from The East African; Dorothy Nakaweesi and Walter Wafula from Daily Monitor (Uganda); and Jamhuri Mwavyombo from BBC Swahili Service (Tanzania).

Finalists for the EABC Chairman’s Award sponsored by East African Cement Producers Association include George Omondi from Business Daily (Kenya) and Ramadhani Rajab from the The Standard (Kenya).

Finalists for the EAC Green Award honouring the best reporter on environment include Wanjohi Kabukuru from New African (Kenya); Edwin Nuwagaba from Daily Monitor (Uganda) and Barbara Namisango from Uganda Broadcasting Corporation.

The finalists were chosen by a panel of judges who included Dr. George Lugalambi, Head of Department of Mass Communication and Journalism at Makerere University, Uganda, Ms. Joyce Mhaville, Managing Director of ITV from Tanzania, Mr Arthur Asiimwe, Chairman of Media High Council of Rwanda, and Mr Jared Obuya, Secretary General of Kenya Union of Journalists.

Dr. George Lugalambi, the chairman of the panel of judges, said: “There is a lot of good journalism going on in our countries which deserves to be recognized.

“Managers of media organizations should encourage their journalists to submit their stories for future EAC Awards,” he said.

The Awards attracted a total of 88 entries and drew participation from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda.

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About East African Business Council

The East African Business Council (EABC) is the umbrella organization of the private sector in East Africa. Established in 1997, EABC is at the forefront of facilitating private sector participation in the integration process of the East African Community (EAC). EABC works closely with East African Community Secretariat, East African Legislative Assembly, governments, regional economic communities, multilateral groups and the business community to improve the region’s trade and investment climate.

Website: http://www.eabc.info

For more information please contact:

Owora Richard Othieno, Head of Department; Corporate Communications and Public Affairs; Tel: +255 784 835021; Email: othieno@eachq.org

Godwin Muhwezi Bonge, Communications Officer, East African Business Council; P.O. Box 2617, Arusha, Tanzania; Cell: +255 766 196025/ +256 753 080571; Email: gmuhwezi@eabc.info