dyton mupawaenda
Herald Correspondent
JOURNALISTS from the country’s largest integrated media house, Zimbabwe Newspapers (1980) Limited (Zimpapers) maintained their dominance at the National Journalism and Media Awards (Njama) 2022-2023 held in Harare on Thursday night with 18 reporters scooping awards in 29 categories.
Njama is an annual event coordinated by the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) in partnership with several sponsors.
The awards ceremony ran under the theme, “Media Sustainability and Media Development.”
Herald correspondent Ivan Zhakata scooped The Infrastructure Development Journalist of the Year and the Yasser Arafat Journalist of the Year awards. Peter Tanyanyiwa from the Suburban was the runner-up in both awards.
Tanyanyiwa was also a runner-up in the ICT Journalist of the Year award which was bagged by Tichaona Chikono from Zimpapers Television Network (ZTN) prime who also scooped the Photographer/Visuals award.
The Agriculture Journalist of the Year award was won by Theseus Shambare from The Sunday Mail with Sharon Mujenjema from ZTN being the runner-up.
He also scooped the Mental Health in Children and Young People Journalist of the Year and was also the first runner-up in the Municipal and Service Delivery Journalist of the Year which was bagged by Munjenjema from ZTN.
Nqobile Tshili from Chronicle won the Local Tourism Journalist of the Year award with Walter Nyamukondiwa from The Herald being the runner-up.
The News Journalist of the Year award was won by ZTN’s Morris Mukwate and Robert Mukondiwa while Veronica Gwaze was the runner-up.
The duo also bagged the Gender Based Violence Journalist of the Year award on which Sukulwenkosi Debe-Matutu from Chronicle was the runner-up.
Muchaneta Chimuka from Kwayedza was the runner-up in the Mental Health Journalist of the Year award which was scooped by Vanessa Gonye from Newsday.
The SOGIE – Southern Region award was won by Chromicle’s Fortunate Muzarabani while Sindiso Dube from Alfa Media Holdings (AMH) and the Northern Region was won was Mary Mundeya and Regina Pasipanodya while NewZimbabwe’s Leopold Munhende was the runner-up.
Folake Makonese from Makonese Capitalk 100.4 FM scooped while Nathan Guma from the News Hawks was the runner up.
Theophilus Tshuma from ZBC won the Environment Journalist of the Year award and Climate Change Journalist of the Year with Lulu Harris from Cite and Clifford Chiduku, a freelance being the runners-up respectively.
Sunday Mail’s Tawanda Musarurwa scooped the Business Journalist of the Year award and the Finance Journalist of the Year award while Adelaide Moyo from Financial Gazzette and Mthandazo Nyoni from (AMH) were runners-up respectively.
Amanda Jojo from the Zimbabwe Independent won the Upcoming Female Journalist of the Year award, Ruvimbo Muchenje bagged the Female Journalist of the Year award and Kennedy Nyavaya scooped the Sino-Zimbabwe Journalist of the Year award.
The Sports Journalist of the Year was bagged by Tadious Manyepo from The Herald while Veronica Gwaze from Sunday Mail was the runner-up.
Full story on: www.herald.co.zw
Other journalists scooped awards in the Legal and Parliamentary Journalist of the Year, Renewable Energy Journalist of the Year, Governance and Elections Journalist of the Year, Gender and Social Inclusion Journalist of the Year, Community Engagement and Rural Development Journalist of the Year, Mining Journalist of the Year and Arts, Culture and Entertainment Journalist of the Year categories.
Speaking at the colourful ceremony, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Dr Jenfan Muswere said journalists were important in nation-building with the rights, freedom and access to information of journalists guaranteed.
“In the Second Republic we repealed the AIIPA and replaced it with the Freedom of Information and we also came up with the Cyber and Data Protection Act ensures the safety and protection of data,” he said.
“We also have an open door policy which allows journalists to interact with the Ministry. Media has a responsibility in terms of macro-economic development and foreign development investment thus playing a key role in achieving Vision 2030.
“We are working on setting up a fund to develop manpower in the media industry so that we have accurate, factual and credible information. As a Ministry, we need to make sure that journalists are well paid so that we do away with the issue of brown envelopes.”
ZUJ president and Zimpapers senior journalist Mr George Maponga said they organised the Njama as a thank you to journalists for the work that they were doing of disseminating information.
Mr Maponga said for journalists to be able to discharge their duties professionally they needed to engage with the parent ministry.
“We want to call on the Government to have on us a post Covid-19 remuneration for journalists to develop their manpower. There is also a need for dialogue with the Ministry to a lasting solution for the welfare of journalists,” he said.
Mr Maponga thanked the Ministry for its development agenda which has seen broadcasting licences being issued and the birth of community radio stations.
Online Reporter