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Freelance photographer Joseph Mathenge was on Saturday night declared winner of the CNN/Multichoice African Journalist of the Year 2014, and became the first ever photographer to win the big prize.
Affiliated to the Nation Media Group, also won Photographer of the Year for his images of the Westgate Mall terror attack in Nairobi last year.
“The photographer displayed both skill and enormous bravery to put his life on the line to record what were to become iconic images,” the Judges cited. “He was able to capture images in the midst of a terror attack.”
Four more Kenyans won awards, including Evelyn Wata for Sports; Bob Koigi for Culture, and Patrick Mayoyo for Environment. Anne Mawathe and Rashid Ibrahim won News Impact Award.
Other winners were Daniel Biaou (Benin) for Francophone General News (radio); Safia Berkoouk (Algeria), for Francophone General News (print); Olatunji Ololade (Nigeria) for Health & Medical; Sean Christie (South Africa) for Economics and Business; and Joy Summers & Susan Combrie (South Africa) for Energy & Infrastructure.
Bento Venancio (Mozambique) and Brito Simango (Mozambique) won the Portuguese Language General New for print and electronic, repectively.
Swaziland journalist Bheki Makhubu, who is in jail for exposing corruption in the Swaziland judiciary, was awarded the Press Freedom Award 2014. It was received by his wife and young son.
Uganda did not have any finalists this year.
-newvision.co.ug