Esagala, Bamulanzeki voted Uganda’s best photojournalists of the decade in Uganda Press Photo Awards

Photojournalists, Alex Esagala and Nicholas Bamulanzeki emerged the eventual winners of the audience’s choice award of the decade and favourite photo category of the decade award in the Uganda Press Photo Awards(UPPA).

Started in 2012, UPPA is a platform for photographers and people interested in photography in Uganda and East Africa and initially began as a competition for Ugandan photojournalists and photographers but has since grown.

Over the weekend, the two photographers Esagala and Bamulanzeki were announced as winners during a function held at Motiv in Industrial area in Kampala.

For being voted Uganda’s favourite photojournalist of the decade, Bamulanzeki walked away with a Canon EOS RP kit whereas Esagala, the audience’s choice award winner took home a Canon M50 Mark 2 with a kit, all courtesy of Canon Central and North Africa.

"I thank people who voted me to top as Uganda's Photo Journalist of the decade. This is not simple and I don’t take it for granted. I want to thank God for this gift. Indeed, this is my year," Daily Monitor’s Esagala said.

“Indeed, it's a double blessing, getting a wife and the overall winner in Photo Journalism for 10 years. Thank you all for voting me.”

Observer’s Bamulanzeki too, could not hide his excitement after being declared Uganda’s favourite photojournalist.

“Thank you, guys, for voting me as the favourite photojournalist of the decade in the Uganda Press Photo Awards. God bless you all,” he tweeted.

"As we look back at the last 10 years, we're giving the public a chance to vote for their best images. You've voted the category winners and this is the final stage.

These two awards were specifically organized to allow the public vote for their favourite photographers of the decade as UPPA celebrates 10 years.