Media Council of Tanzania

President Jakaya Kikwete will be the official guest at the Excellence in Journalism Awards (EJAT) 2011 gala night

where winners will be crowned, the chairperson of the Organising Committee of the event, Kajubi Mukajanga has announced.

He told a packed press conference at the offices of the Media Council of Tanzania (MCT) today March 2, 2012 that President Kikwete has accepted the invitation to grace the occasion scheduled to be held on March 30, 2012.

Mukajanga who is also the Executive Secretary of the Media Council of Tanzania also announced three nominees for the Lifetime Achievement Award which be given for the first time in the country.

The nominees are veteran broadcaster and media manager, Edda Sanga, prominent broadcaster Hamisi Kikoroma popularly known as Ben Kiko and veteran journalist and media trainer, Fili Karashani.

The winner of this award will bag Tzs 10 million, a trophy and a certificate, Mukajanga said.

Apart from the Lifetime nominees, there are over 70 nominees vying for awards in 19 categories of EJAT.

He said the Lifetime nominees were first proposed a five-member team of experts picked from the Media.

The team of experts  was under the chairmanship of Theophil Makunga, the Acting Managing Director of Mwananchi Communications; Joyce Mhaville the Managing Director of Independent Television (ITV), Jenerali Ulimwengu, the chairman of Raia Mwema; Lillian Kallaghe – veteran journalist and activist and  Hamis Mzee, editor of MCT publications.

Mukajanga announced the nominees for the Lifetime Achievement Awards in the company of members of the EJAT organizing committee who are directly involved with the media.

Among them was the Executive Director of Tanzania Women Journalist Association (TAMWA), Ananilea Nkya, and Executive Manager of Tanzania Media Fund (TMF), Ernest Sungura, Secretary of Media Owners Association of Tanzania (MOAT), Henry Muhanika and a representative of Journalist Association on Environment (JET), Deo Mfugale.

Others are the Chairperson of the Association of Science Writers (TASJA)  Grayson Mutembei and Chairman of the Association of Journalist Against Aids (AJAAT), Simon Kivamwo.

Speaking at the press conference, the TAMWA’s Executive Director, Ananilea Nkya urged journalist to desist from reporting on “what individuals say” but on issues which will bring about real change and development to the society.

It is very frustrating and disturbing to see that the media always report on what “so and so” said.

Ernest Sungura, the TMF’s Executive Manager, challenged journalist to uplift professional standards and its contribution to society.

“ I have a dream”, Sungura said, “ that one day the media will be officially recognized as a real fourth estate of governance”.

The media should progressively ascend to high levels and graduate from being unofficial pillar of governance.

He commended the recently approved competence based journalism curriculum as a landmark development for journalism training and advancement of media.

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