Citizen TV's Lilian Muli, Macharia Gaitho & 3 Kenyans Recognized At IGAD Media Awards

Five Kenyans were on Thursday, October 24 recognized among the top awardees at the 2nd Edition of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Media Awards. They include Citizen TV anchor Lilian Muli and veteran journalist Macharia Gaitho.

IGAD, in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), hosted the 2024 edition of the IGAD Media Awards at the Argyle Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya. The Awards celebrated 18 exceptional media professionals for their outstanding contributions to journalism across the IGAD region.

With the theme “Narratives of Hope: Inspiring Peaceful, Secure, and Inclusive Futures,” the ceremony acknowledged the media’s crucial role in promoting peace, security, and regional integration.

Aden Duale, Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change & Forestry, represented President William Ruto as the Chief Guest. In his address, Duale reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to press freedom and highlighted the pivotal role of journalists in building peace and fostering dialogue in the region.

Winners of the IGAD Media Awards on October 24, 2024. /IGAD SECRETARIAT

IGAD Executive Secretary, Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu, praised the invaluable contribution of journalists in shaping narratives of hope within communities grappling with conflict, displacement, and socio-economic challenges.

He stated, “The media is a vital conduit for information and understanding in our region. It provides the platform to unite our voices and overcome the issues we face. These awards are a tribute to the courage, creativity, and dedication of journalists who choose to tell stories that inspire change and progress.”

Winners and Benefits

This year, 18 winners were chosen from over 500 submissions spanning print, radio, television, and digital media.

The winners will receive certificates, token prizes, and an exclusive invitation to participate in a one-day workshop focused on IGAD’s work within the region. Additionally, they will be accredited to attend major IGAD events, granting them access to regional assemblies and expert briefings.

Viral Tea takes a look at the profile of the five Kenyan winners:

Lillian Muli

Lilian Muli won an award in the TV category at the IGAD Media Awards alongside Henry Okurut, a senior reporter at the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC). 

She is a communications expert with expertise in audio-visual communication, broadcasting, reporting, moderation, media training, public relations, digital advertising and marketing. Additionally, she serves as a senior anchor and news host at Royal Media Services' (RMS) Citizen TV, a position she has held since January 2011.

Muli also worked as a news anchor and features editor at The Standard Group from January 2005 to December 2010.

Denish Ochieng

Ochieng is an investigative photojournalist at the Standard Group Limited. He emerged as the winner of the IGAD Media Awards in the Photography category.

Ochieng is an award-winning investigative photojournalist known for his fearless entry into volatile situations involving human rights abuses. With 12 years of experience, he has been severally recognized for his groundbreaking work on eye-catching photography and investigative pieces for broadcast media on KTN and Standard Newspaper.

Macharia Gaitho

Gaitho is an independent journalist, columnist, and political analyst primarily writing for Nation Media Group (NMG). He received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the IGAD Media Awards alongside veteran journalist Mohamed Shil from Somalia.

Macharia is an untrained journalist who graduated from the University of Nairobi Faculty of Architecture, Design and Development with a BA (Design) in 1983. He worked in the area of study till 1986 then leapt into journalism as a ‘side hustle’.

Anita Soina

Perhaps the only non-journalist who made it to the winners' list, Anita Soina, a climate change advocate and digital sustainability influencer, won the IGAD Media Award in the Influencer category, a move which heralds the entry of content creation and influencing into the media space.

Soina is a global climate change & climate justice advocate and an SDG Champion. She is the Global Youth Champion for UN Hosted Partnerships Sanitation and Water for All.

Her organization, SpiceWarriors, is building a movement of African youth and children who are passionate about climate justice. She is also the founder of the Soina Foundation which helps to bridge the inequality gaps in access to quality education.

Soina is currently curating climate content to amplify climate stories through vlogs and TikTok content.

Sharon Barang’a

Barang’a also won an award at the IGAD gala. The former TV47 Education Editor is an assistant Producer at the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC).

She won the Gender Responsive Award at the IGAD Media Awards 2024, recognizing her contributions to promoting gender equality in journalism.

The journalist is a committed and award-winning broadcast journalist with a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling. With a career spanning over eight years, Barang’a has covered a wide range of topics, from development, peace, politics and social issues to culture and technology.

Sharon previously worked at NMG for eight years as a senior Education Reporter for NTV. She was unfortunately among the group that was laid off during the Covid-19 period in 2020.

Her show ‘Learning Curve’ aired on NTV on Tuesdays at 9:00 PM. Apart from working at NTV and TV47, Barang’a worked as an editor at Ukweli Video Productions and as a scriptwriter at the Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT).

She received the Mandela Washington Fellowship, funded by the U.S. Department of State in 2017. In 2016, she was among the winners of the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) Early Childhood Development Reporting Contest.

Sharon Barang'a with her award at the IGAD Media Awards on October 24, 2024. /SHARON BARANG'A