Africa-Press – Uganda. The only thing that I love about sports is my camera.” That’s how legendary sports photographer Mpalanyi Ssentongo, said before he broke down as he accepted the Uganda Sports Press Association (Uspa) Excellence Media Legendary Award yesterday at Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala .
Everyone in attendance stood up to applaud a man who has served sports since 1990 and is still going strong. It was quite emotional.
The awards go back to the early 2000s but did not last because they were not based on news values but popularity.
In this pandemic, journalists improvised to keep the sector alive. But most importantly, the impact of the stories amidst the circumstances attracted the biggest attention.
“We continue to fight for media excellence and press freedom,” Christopher Krafft the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Kampala, who represented the US Ambassador to Uganda, said.
Sports desk elated
The Nation Media Group (NMG) sports desk took home three awards; the Edirisa Mayanja Njuki Awards by George Katongole for the plight of Somali players in the Futsal Super League, the Kevin Aliro Award by Andrew Mwanguhya for his investigative story about television rights by Fufa president Moses Magogo and Makhtum Muziransa for his story on Brolin Mawejje, who is working the tail off in the US to qualify for the Winter Olympics.
Mwanguhya, who won for his daring acts on uncovering the truth about the all-powerful Fufa president, who is owning television rights for local football production, thanked the desk’s sub-editor Jacobs Seaman Odongo, who inspired him to follow the story.
“We actually don’t celebrate the sub-editors but Jacobs is the best guy around. He spends a lot of time fine-tuning our work and encouraging us to do more,” Mwanguhya said.
Muziransa, who won the feature story award from all Daily Monitor finalists, dedicated the award to his five-month son while saying he was inspired to work more.
Leon Ssenyange, the Uspa vice president urged journalists to embrace professionalism in their work despite the challenges.
Excellent
The awards were determined by a panel of seven people including a Kenyan and Nigerian journalist.
The awards were named after departed colleagues.
Patrick Kanyomozi, the Uspa president despite the disappointments, the awards were a blessing.
“From 1970, we have been writing stories but this is an important ceremony for us all to challenge ourselves. This means a lot from me, when we took office, I had something in the previous executives. We have been awarding the best athletes and we wanted something new to be able to give the association a new face.”
Kanyomozi talked about the pressing issue of media freedom that hinders journalists in their work. “The powers that be should observe media freedoms. If you are not happy with what journalists do, don’t do it,” Kanyomozi added.
The event received big sponsorship deals from platinum sponsors Nile Breweries as well as Standard Chartered Bank, City Tyres, Uganda Airlines, Pride Inn Mombasa, StarTimes and broadcast partners, See TV.
For photographers such as Richard Sanya, who started taking sports photos in 2018, he said the excelling athletes provide a perfect platform to excel.
“It is humbling. For me, I used to cut out pictures of the legendary Mpalanyi Ssentongo and to win this award is fulfilling. Sports photography is now part of my blood,” Sanya, whose photograph about a back runner during a race in Kapchorwa affording a smile, said.
Ssentongo, a retired photographer with the New Vision, was gifted two air ticket for two by Uganda Airlines for a weekend at the luxurious Mombasa at the Pride Inn Flamingo.
New media
Ismail Kiyonga, who represented Kawowo Sports to pick the digital award ahead of Football 256 and Voice of Bugerere credited the awards for the preservation of media values.
“I think without the pandemic, we wouldn’t have had the opportunity to attract more inspiring stories and the readership that followed,” Kiyonga said. The website is marking 10 years making it the longest serving sports blog in Uganda.
Uspa Media Excellence Awards
THE WINNERS
Patrick Luwandagga Award:
Mpalanyi Ssentongo (Vision Group)
Sam Wossita Award:
Kawowo.com
Bashir Khan Lugudo Award:
Makhtum Muziransa (NMG Uganda)
Kevin Aliro Award:
Andrew Mwanguhya (NMG Uganda)
James Opoka Award:
Davis Mugume (Voice of America)
John Bugembe Ssenkubuge Award:
Richard Sanya (Vision Group)
Edirisa Mayanja Njuki Award:
George Katongole (NMG Uganda)
Paul Waibale Snr Award:
Timothy Kuteesa (Football265)
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