The Sunday Mail
THE Sunday Mail Investigations Editor Brian Chitemba has been named runner-up of the Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ) Media Professionalism and Investigative Journalism Awards while Sports Reporter Langton Nyakwenda was yesterday crowned the best sports journalist for the year 2017.
The Sports Journalists Association of Zimbabwe Northern Region hosted the sports awards at Belgravia Sports Club, with Nyakwenda walking away with a certificate.
Chitemba walked away with a trophy and certificate at an award presentation held at a Harare hotel last Friday.
The first prize for the investigative journalism awards was scooped by another Zimpapers journalist, Vusimuzi Dube of The Sunday News.
Chitemba was recognised for exposing a US$300 million scandal involving Econet and Zimbabwe Revenue Authority bosses, which was published last year.
Meanwhile, adjudicators reserved special mention for the Charles Manyuchi story written by Nyakwenda in February 2017.
The awards adjudicators cited depth and balance in both stories.
Speaking during the VMCZ awards ceremony, board chair Mr Alec Muchadehama said: “The awards were meant to celebrate in-depth reporting in the face of various challenges which stalk the media.”
Veteran journalist Geoffrey Nyarota said credibility is an essential attribute of good journalism.
“In terms of the practice of professional journalism, independent Zimbabwe was fostered on a blend of an overdose of speech journalism and very limited investigative reporting,” he said.
“Meanwhile, corruption flourished, while those journalists who dared to challenge the system by investigating some of the many cases of epidemic corruption were dealt with ruthlessly.
“This happened both as punishment for them and as a deterrent among fellow journalists from any journalistic curiosity that sought to scrutinise and expose corruption among a powerful class of people who regarded themselves as untouchables.”
The awards were held at a time calls for ethical standards in journalism in the country are growing louder.
The calls are coming from the realisation that the media must truly play its watchdog role over the executive, judiciary and legislature in the public interest.
Both Nyakwenda and Chitemba paid tribute to The Sunday Mail team.
“Without the input of the Sunday Mail Sports Desk, headed by Sports Editor Makomborero Mutimukulu, I wouldn’t have won this special award,” said Nyakwenda.
