Royal Media Services journalists shine at AJEA 2023

Royal Media Services Journalists bagged different awards in this year's Annual Journalism Excellence Awards (AJEA) 2023 held at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi on Thursday evening.

The Awards Ceremony was a culmination of the World Press Freedom Day celebration held on the 3rd day of May.

Veteran journalist and Roga Roga show host Fred Obachi Machoka was among 8 journalists who were awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award which seeks to recognize journalists who have performed exemplary in the journalism field over the years.

Citizen TV journalists Maryanne Nyambura and Evans Asiba scooped the ICT and Innovation Digital Award.

Ramogi TV reporter Cleophas Oluoch also scooped the ICT and Innovation TV Award.

More than 10 journalists were nominated in various categories.

Citizen TV news anchor Lulu Hassan, reporter Serfine Achieng Ouma, videographers Ephantus Maina, Mohammed Aden, Eliud Kosgey, Melvin Koech were among journalists from Royal Media Services who made it to the top three.

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula, who was the Chief Guest, called for freedom of the press in the continuous coverage of the Shakahola cult deaths in Kilifi County.

This after the media was barred from covering the exhumations at the extensive 800 acre piece of land, even after the media lifted the lid on the murders.

“How did Mackenzie do this without anybody noticing? I thank you [media] and salute you for exposing this, and I urge the minister for security to have an open gate to Shakahola for Kenyans to know how this man did this, why he did it and punish him in accordance with the law,” said Wetangula.

The clarion call during the event was to ensure media is given freedom of covering matters of national importance without being harassed.

Media Council of Kenya CEO David Omwoyo said: “Despite all the challenges journalists faced in the previous campaign year, we still had to pause and write stories on the environment, governance, press freedom and all that. It means that there was a lot of sacrifice to get that done.”

Three journalists; Namukabo Werungah, Nicola Milne and Elijah Kanyi, were awarded the overall Journalists of the Year 2023.

The Annual Journalism Excellence Awards ceremony gives journalists from different media houses a chance to interact and share ideas on how to better the journalism profession in the country.