VISION GROUP | JOURNALISTS | MEDIA | AWARDS

It was another night to remember for Vision Group as two of their journalists walked out of Sheraton Kampala Hotel smiling both ways. This was after the National Population Council (NPC) lavished on them two out of the five population and development media awards on Thursday.   

Gerald Tenywa senior reporter of the New Vision holding his award

Ronald Jeremiah Mwesigwa picks the accolade on behalf of his mother, Agnes Kyotarengeire

Kasule Lumumba picked an award for the Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja

Agnes Kyotalengerire was the overall winner of the most coveted annual award on population in Uganda and also walked away with a plaque and sh3m. Kyotalengerire was recognized for consistent coverage of population and development, according to NPC. 

Gerald Tenywa, a senior multimedia journalist walked away with a plaque and Shs2m for the top print media award.

Left is state Minister for finance Amos Lugoloobi and Kasule Lumumba, the minister for General Duties during the population report launch

Gerald Tenywa senior reporter of the New Vision holding an award

Ronald Jeremiah Mwesigwa picks the accolade on behalf of his mother, Agnes Kyotarengeire

Other winners were Diana Taremwa Karakire, Ubuntu Times in the online award category, Catherine Namugerwa, BBS in the TV award category, and Aloysius Byamukama, Maama FM in the Radio award category. 

Justine Kasule Lumumba, the Minister for General Duties, who is also the Focal Minister for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), represented Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja. She also received an award for championing population and social development issues in Parliament. She later handed over the awards to the winners at a well-attended ceremony. 

Kasule Lumumba, addressing journalists

Lumumba also launched the “State of Uganda Population Report 2022”, which was themed, “Accelerate the demographic transition to attain a favorable population age structure for sustainable development.” 

Dr. John Ssekamatte Ssebuliba, a consultant at National Planning Authority/NPC who was the keynote speaker observed that the fertility rate in Uganda fertility rate currently estimated at 5.4% was declining but not fast enough to help Uganda to benefit from a young population. He also said that Uganda to shift its socioeconomic development indicators including the fertility rate into demographic benefits or demographic dividends.

Gerald Tenywa senior reporter of the New Vision and Ronald Jeremiah Mwesigwa picks the accolade on behalf of his mother, Agnes Kyotarengeire

some of the best journalists who won in different catagories

Gerald Tenywa senior reporter of the New Vision gets an award as best writer print in the National Population Council media awars from Kasule Lumumba Minister for general duties OPM.

The demographic dividend is the economic growth potential that can result from shifts in a population's age structure, mainly when the share of the working-age population (15 to 64) is larger than the non-working-age share of the population (14 and younger, and 65 and older). 

“We are about population control but we are trying to help the current people to design it good enough to favor the desirable development of the country,” said Ssekamatte.