Journalism awards suspended over funding

African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME) have suspended their annual Journalism Awards citing challenges in funding.

The awards dubbed Uganda National Journalism Awards according to ACME’s Executive Director Peter G Mwesige will happen but at a later date due to be communicated.

“The delay has been caused by funding challenges following the expiry in December 2017 of the framework under which the awards process was previously funded,” Mwesige said.

He said that ACME is in the process of securing long term funding and have so far snapped up to major partners.

“We would like to assure the journalists who submitted entries of their best work in 2017 or those that nominated them that they will be recorgnised and rewarded by September 30, 2018,” Mwesige added.

The awards attracted entries from 239 journalists, which means an increase by 28 per cent from the previous year.

The Uganda National Journalism Awards are presented annually to recognise and promote reporting that informs and empowers the public, increases the voices and spaces for debate, and holds the powerful to account.

Launched five years ago, the awards represent a pinnacle of achievement for Ugandan journalists, many of whom work tirelessly to attain journalistic excellence, often in the face of enormous financial and political pressure. The last two editions of the awards were organised with support from the Democratic Governance Facility (DGF).

Award winners are selected by a panel of judges that comprises eminent Ugandans who have excelled in the field of journalism, media, communications, and other areas of public affairs.

Among notable winners is Daily Monitor editorial cartoonist Atukwasize Chrisogon who has won the award for a record 4 times and NBS TV's Solomon Sserwanja.