Public Opinion Uganda has awarded twenty journalists in the country for their tremendous effort to deliver information when the country was screwed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Desire Muhooza who is a youth leader and member of the Public Opinion organisation said that they awarded journalists because of their efforts to keep the nation informed during the Coronavirus pandemic when the nation was on lockdown.
Muhooza said, “When were all in our homes, it’s the media that was letting us know what was really happening out there in the world.”
Among the twenty journalists, Next Media had the biggest share with at least nine of its journalists awarded.
The nine were Sheila Nduhukire (news anchor), Canary Mugume (Senior Investigative Journalist/Anchor), Joseph Sabiti (Senior Reporter). Edris Kiggundu (Managing Editor – Nile Post), Simon Kaggwa Njala (Show Host), Samson Kasumba (Anchor), Dalton Kaweesa (Head OF News), Solomon Sserwanja (Senior Investigative Journalist/Anchor) and Mildred Tuhaise (Anchor/Show Host).
Other journalists who were awarded are; Andrew Kyamagero, Farouk Kirunda. Don Wanyama, Francis Kagolo, Hope Mafananga, Patrick Kamara, Meddie Nsereko, Gyagenda Ssemakula, Charles Odongotho, Dunstan Busulwa and John Serwaniko.
The public relations officer of Next Media Services Desire Derekford Mugumisa said that scooping nine out of twenty awards is a vote of public confidence to their team. He said that Next Media journalists and staff have set the pace for current affairs.
“It is a vote of confidence from the people who we believe have used research and numbers to get to this, it is more than an opinion game, it is about the work our team has put in to achieve this,” Mugumisa said.
The award ceremony held on Wednesday was presided over by the Italian Ambassador to Uganda, H.E Massimilliano Mazzanti who called gender equality to achieve social development.
“Journalists are very important and I want them to use their platforms to change naratives and foster equality,” he said in part.
Patrick Bitature who is the organization patron advised the journalists to use their platform to solve social problems and tell stories that inform to educate.