CNN Multichoice African Journalist Awards competition is now in a landmark 20th year, and winners from previous years joined this year’s finalists for a special evening to celebrate 20 years of the awards. The 2015 CNN Multichoice Africa Journalist Awards took place in Nairobi, Kenya on October 10, 2015. Some of the Nigerian journalists nominated for the landmark 20th CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards 2015 won their respective categories. The biggest winner of the day was Hyacinthe Boowurosigue Sanou of L’Observateur Paalga, in Burkina Faso, who was named overall winner and declared African Journalist of the Year. He had earlier emerged winner of the Francophone General News category of the award. Hyacinthe Boowurosigue Sanou was awarded the overall CNN MultiChoice African Journalist of the Year Award for his story ‘Room 143’ which was published in the Burkinabé daily newspaper L’Observateur Paalga and covered the ousting of Blaise Campaore, who had ruled over Burkina Faso for 27 years. The CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards 2015 held in Nairobi, Kenya for the first time since 2005. The competition drew over 1 400 entries this year from 39 African countries. Other winners were also named for other categories.
- Paul Kelembe from Kenya – Energy and Infrastructure reporting category
- Sarah Wild from South Africa – Technology and Innovation reporting category
- Carlo Goncalves (Cape Verde) – Portuguese Language General News Award under the print media
- PedroPaxi Pereira Ndoma (Angola) – Best language in General news
- Thomas Bitlegma (Ghana) – African Development Bank Environment Award
- Julie Laurenz and Jacqueline Jayamaha (South Africa) – Features reporting category.
- Ibrahim Diallo (Senegal) – Francophone General News Award (Electronic)
- Zecharie Ndiomo (Cameroon) won the year’s press freedom award
- The Mohamed Amin Photographic Award went to Herman Verwey Beeld
- The Sport Reporting Award went to Arukaino from Punch Newspaper
- The Culture Award went to Dewale Omoba
The event will be broadcast on AfricaMagic World (DStv 155) on 17 October with presenters Zain Asher from CNN International and Mark Masai from Kenya’s NTV.