Ugandan Reporter Wins African Journalist of the Year Award
OKE: Welcome back to the Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg. That's where we're bringing you INSIDE AFRICA from this week. Now, it's 12 years old and now one of the most prestigious journalism competitions in the whole of Africa. The CNN Multi-choice African Journalist of the Year Awards attracted a record number of entries. Last weekend, the finalists gathered in Cape Town. Isha Sesay reports.</s>ISHA SESAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A celebration of the best in African journalism -- the Annual CNN Multi-choice African Journalist Awards were held in South Africa this year. More than 500 guests attended the glitzy ceremony at the Cape Town International Convention Center. The host for the night - CNN International's Jonathan Mann and Nothemba Mdumo from</s>ETV. NOTHEMBA MDUMO, ETV ANCHOR: Welcome to our continent. And especially our beautiful Cape Town city.</s>SESAY: The 26 finalists came from throughout Africa.</s>NOLE BETELE, CEO, MULTI CHOICE, SOUTH AFRICA: And these awards, they don't only highlight excellence in journalism, but also they provide a platform for the media in Africa to network.</s>SESAY: The first of the night's awards went to Albert Gachiri and Steven Mwei for their report on silk farming in Kenya. The award categories included print, radio, photography and television. According to the judges, the winners succeeded in telling the continent's stories in an uniquely fresh and engaging way. The night's top honor for African journalist of the year went to Richard Kavuma of Uganda. Kavuma works for the "Weekly Observer" newspaper, and bagged the prize for his series of articles on Uganda's approach to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. It was his second award of the night after claiming the M.K.O Abiola Print Journalist Award earlier.</s>RICHARD KAVUMA, AFRICAN JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR 2007: And I want to dedicate this to all journalists in Africa, who see their profession as a voice of the voiceless.</s>SESAY: Isha Sesay, CNN, Johannesburg.</s>OKE: Congratulations to Richard, and all of the winners. And that wraps up our show from the Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg, South Africa. Thank you very much for watching. I hope to see you INSIDE AFRCA again next week. Until then, take care. END TO ORDER VIDEOTAPES AND TRANSCRIPTS OF CNN INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMMING, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE THE SECURE ONLINE ORDER FROM LOCATED AT www.voxant.com