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CNN MULTICHOICE AFRICAN JOURNALIST AWARDS 2009
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Peter Murimi named CNN African Journalist of the Year

For release: 20 June 2004

all.winners.jpg

2004 CNN African Journalist of the year finalists. June 2004.

Peter Murimi, working for Camerapix, Kenya, has been awarded the top prize at this year's CNN African Journalist of the Year Awards ceremony. Murimi was chosen among 465 entrants from 30 nations across the African continent for his story, 'Walk to Womanhood'.

Chris Cramer, Managing Director, CNN International and Peter Matlare, Group Chief Executive Officer, SABC, presented him with the award at a gala ceremony hosted by CNN in partnership with the SABC and the Awards sponsors at The Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, this evening (Saturday 19 June).

Chairperson of the Judging Panel, Dr. Doyinsola Abiola, said: "This year's entries echoed, once again, the spirit and diversity of the African continent. Each finalist should be proud in the knowledge that their work represents the pinnacle of not only African, but world journalism."

"What we see in Murimi's piece is a dispassionate, non-judgmental, objective, journalistic piece of work. This is encompassed in the beauty and sensitive nature of the filming, the beauty of the scenery and because you consistently understand how the story is developing and what is going on," added Abiola.

The overall CNN Journalist of the Year Award prize comprises training at CNN Centre, Atlanta, with complimentary flights courtesy of South African Airways; along with the prize awarded to all category winners, which consists of a laptop computer, modem and printer and an additional cash prize.

"These journalists join an ever-increasing number of professionals recognised by their peers over the last nine years. They've become part of a new community of excellence, representing the best in African journalism and maintaining the highest standards of journalistic integrity " said Cramer.

The Competition, now in its ninth year, is held in partnership with SABC and in association with Multichoice Africa Foundation, South African Airways and the Wescliff Hotel, Johannesburg (part of the Orient Express Group).

All related flights for the competition and South Africa-based accommodation are provided respectively by associate sponsor South African Airways (SAA) and by official hotel sponsor The Westcliff.

Other prestigious African companies on board as sponsors include: The Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg; IPP Media Group, Tanzania; Merck Sharp Dohme (MSD); Global Media Alliance - GMA; Johnnic Communications Limited; Camerapix; Kenya; and Nederburg Wine Farm.

Highlights of the Awards ceremony will be broadcast as follows: (All times Johannesburg time)

SABC
SABC 2: Wednesday June 23 22h00
*SABC Africa: Tuesday June 22 at 23h00 and Thursday June 24 at 13h00
(*Available on MultiChoice DSTV to 44 countries in Africa)
SABC Media Focus Monday June 21 at 13h30

MNET
Africa Magic: Saturday June 26 at 20h00

IPP Media Tanzania
ITV Tanzania: Saturday June 26 at 20h00

CNN International
Inside Africa: Airs Saturday July 3 at 18h30

Winners in the individual competition categories are:

ARTS & CULTURE AWARD:
Peter Murimi, for Camerapix, Kenya
Topic: Walk to Womanhood
Judges' Citation: "What we see in this piece is a dispassionate, non-judgmental, objective, journalistic piece of work. This is encompassed in the beauty and sensitive nature of the filming, the beauty of the scenery and because you consistently understand how the story is developing and what is going on."

BUSINESS AWARD:
Mwenda Njoka, Daily Nation, Sunday Nation, Kenya
Topic: Kenya's rich revealed
Judges' Citation: "This really is a very solid and very good investigative piece which goes to great depths to reveal the often substantial wealth of a number of Kenyans including businessmen and politicians."

ENVIRONMENT AWARD:
Oscar Obonyo, Freelance for Daily Nation, Kenya
Topic: Why Africa's largest lake stinks
Judges' Citation: "It is a very thorough and well-researched piece that gets across this terrible dilemma in Africa, between the long term conservation of the environment and of the natural resources which are clearly vital for the future of the continent, against the immediate dictates of survival which are to survive each day and go and catch the fish regardless of the consequences for the environment. It captures that really very well."

FRANCOPHONE GENERAL AWARD: PRINT/PHOTO
Alakagni Hala, Fraternité Matin, Ivory Coast
Topic: Bouake: Perilous journey in rebel heartland
Judges' Citation: "The journalist had a very hard time getting into the dangerous rebel held north of Ivory Coast. It really takes either very courageous or very stupid people to do these kind of things, but as a journalist we frequently combine these two factors."

FRANCOPHONE GENERAL AWARD: TV/RADIO
Ouézen Louis Oulon, Télévision du Burkino, Burkino Faso
Topic: Les Travailleuses du Sexe
Judges' Citation: "Although this is not necessarily a new topic, the journalist is not judgemental and gives you all the elements you need to make up your own mind about the nature of the trade and what pushes the women to do it."

FREE PRESS - AFRICA AWARD:
Lokumu Kabamba, Le Journal, Gabon
Topic: Body of work including 'Crimes et Chatiment' and 'Sans famille'
Judges' Citation: "The suspicious murder of a young Gabonese singer is investigated in a country where press restrictions are at an all-time high and where the government is clamping down on journalists who write what is considered anti-government publications or articles. This is an insightful piece."

MSD - HEALTH & MEDICAL AWARD:
Dumisani Ndlela, Financial Gazette, Zimbabwe
Topic: Zimbabwe's health system shuts the door to health
Judges' Citation: "Focused on an unreported aspect of the broader political and economic crisis in Zimbabwe, this piece looked at the collapse of the medical and healthcare system in a very effective way. It was well researched and the story was well told. What was further noted by the judges was that the inferior health service is a problem throughout the continent, and in that sense the piece is relevant in a much broader context."

M.K.O. ABIOLA PRINT JOURNALIST AWARD:
Wisani wa ka Ngobeni/Matuma Letsoalo, Mail and Guardian, South Africa
Topic: Is Mabona the dirtiest politician in SA?
Judges' Citation: "These Mail and Guardian journalists went out of their way to show this politician was corrupt, was fraudulent and embezzling funds. They approached the politician, confronted him and, although he tried to deny it, the more he tried to resist the more they exposed him. An impressive expose."

MOHAMED AMIN PHOTOGRAPHIC AWARD:
Neo Ntsoma, The Star, South Africa
Topic: Their world in flames
Judges' Citation: "It stood out as a news piece in that not only did the photographer manage to capture the intensity of the event, but she did so in a very unusual way. She produced a very attractive set of photographs that were technically superb, visually very attractive, the sort of photographs one felt you could enlarge and frame and hang on your wall, and yet they were photographs of a tragedy."

RADIO AWARD:
Simon Peter Kasyate, 93.3 Monitor FM, Uganda
Topic: Interview with a lesbian.
Judges' Citation: "The interview is intriguing, informative, revealing and often entertaining. What is nice about it also is that it is very conversational and manages to break important stereotypes regarding homosexuality."

SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS TOURISM AWARD:
Thuli Nhlapo, The Star, South Africa
Topic: Giver of dreams, maker of magic.
Judges' Citation: "So often when people talk about tourism they just think of animals and beaches, but here is a writer who took a rather complicated issue of development and tourism, merging them and showing the two things go hand in hand"

SPORT AWARD:
Sophia Phirippides/Jonathan Pienaar, Modern Times cc for Carte Blanche, South Africa
Topic: Kamp Staaldraad
Judges' Citation: "We heard two different views about the methods used in training the Springboks, one from the security outfit that was responsible for the training, the other from a sports psychologist who believed that the method used was simply wrong. It was a compelling and sometimes disturbing insight into the often extreme methods used."

TELEVISION GENERAL NEWS AWARD - FEATURE:
Mr Cliffderrick Richard Otieno, Freelance for KTN Baraza Ltd, Kenya
Topic: Body of work: Street muggers, daylight robberies
Judges' Citation: "It is informative, it is entertaining, it is well researched and the camera work is good. It has all the aspects of a good piece of journalism but the way the story was told and the pictures just made it outstanding."

TV GENERAL NEWS AWARD - NEWS BULLETIN
Sarah Kimani, Orto Sori Orto, Nation TV Nation media Group, Kenya
Topic: Lechukuti: Education for the Samburu child
Judges' Citation: "'The piece was extremely well shot, the story was helped through good interviews and it just had that kind of feel good factor to it as it relates the struggles and successes of educating the nomadic Samburu people of Kenya."

Criteria for the awards
Up to two entries per category published or broadcast in 2003 can be submitted (in print, TV and radio) for the following awards: Television and Radio-General News; Francophone General News - Print and/or Photographic and Television and/or Radio; Sport; Arts & Culture; Environment; Tourism; M.K.O Abiola Print Journalist; Business; Health & Medical; and Free Press Africa Award. The Mohamed Amin Photographic Award requirements include, an individual photograph or a photographic essay (maximum 5 photographs) to be submitted, both black and white and colour accepted.

Note to Editors:
This year's CNN African Journalist of the Year Awards was held in partnership with the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) who, in addition to their support of the Awards, will broadcast a highlights programme of the ceremony (see details above).

The Awards ceremony was held in association with South African Airways (SAA), official hotel sponsor The Westcliff; and Multichoice Africa Foundation, and with the support of sponsors The Sandton Convention Centre; Merck Sharp and Dohme (MSD) South Africa; IPP, Tanzania; Global Media Alliance - GMA; Johnnic Communications; and Nederburg Wine Farm. The Mohamed Amin Award for photography was sponsored by Camerapix, Kenya.

Judging of the entries was completed in May by a distinguished panel of judges, including Chairperson of the Judging Panel Dr. Doyinsola Abiola, Managing Editor/Editor-in-Chief, Concord Press, Nigeria, comprises John Battersby, UK Country Manager of the International Marketing Council of South Africa; Jeff Koinange, CNN Lagos Bureau Chief; Joel Kibazo, Director of Communications and Public Affairs Division at the Commonwealth Secretariat; Jimi Matthews, Head of Television News and current affairs, SABC; Maimouna Mills, Special Adviser to the former Prime Minister, Senegal; and Rich Mkhondo, Executive Manager: Corporate Communications South African Airways.

The competition is open to all professional journalists based in Africa, with head offices in Africa, who report on African issues.

ISSUED BY CNN PUBLIC RELATIONS
Contact: Seema Alibhai
+ 44 207 693 0940
Cellphone: Tel: + 44 7970 77 77 97
seema.alibhai@turner.com
Chris Dwyer: Tel: +44 207 693 0941
chris.dwyer@turner.com
Cellphone: Tel: + 44 7810 151 730

Contact in South Africa: Communications Services
Barbara Bester
Tel: +27 11 463 1011/ Fax: +27 11 463 1323
Cellphone Tel: +27 82 448 5625
commserv@icon.co.za

PHOTOS ARE AVAILABLE ON REQUEST FROM ABOVE CONTACTS AND HAVE ALSO BEEN SENT TO THE NEWS WIRES

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