Kenyan journalist Peter Murimi was named winner of the CNN journalist of the year award in Johannesburg on Saturday, the United States broadcaster announced on Sunday.
Murimi, works for the Camerapix agency in Kenya, was chosen among 465 entrants from 30 countries across Africa for his story, ”Walk to Womanhood”.
Doyinsola Abiola, the chairperson of the judging panel, said: ”What we see in Murimi’s piece is a dispassionate, non-judgemental, 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.”
Mail & Guardian journalists Wisani Ngobeni and Matuma Letsoalo won the MKO Abiola print journalist award for their story, ”Is Mabona the dirtiest politician in SA?”
Neo Ntsoma of The Star won the Mohamed Amin photographic award and her colleague, Thuli Nhlapo, won the SAA tourism award.
Sophia Phirippides and Jonathan Pienaar won the sports award for the Kamp Staaldraad story, an intense training programme which the Springbok team went through before their failed World Cup campaign in 2003.
The award comprises a stint at the CNN Centre in Atlanta and a cash prize. All category winners were awarded a laptop computer, modem and printer and an additional cash prize. – Sapa