Vision Group journalist Ojwee wins Peace Reporting award

GULU - A senior Vision Group journalist, writing for the New Vision newspaper based in Gulu, has been awarded for his bravery and transformative reporting during the two-decade Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency in Northern Uganda.

The prestigious Peace Journalism Awards ceremony, held in Gulu City on December 19, was organised by the Peace Journalism Foundation (PJF) East Africa in partnership with Gulu Women’s Economic Empowerment for Globalisation (GWED-G).

The ceremony attracted a high-profile audience that included media managers, the army from the Fourth Division Barracks, and representatives from the office of the Resident City Commissioner, among others.

Dennis Ojwee was honoured for risking his life to bridge the divide between conflict and stability through responsible and peace-focused reporting.

He was awarded alongside six other media personalities, including his colleague Rosemary Anena of Radio Rupiny, who was recognised for exceptional reporting.

After being decorated with the Lifetime Achiever Award, Ojwee dedicated the award to the victims of the LRA insurgency and his colleagues who never made it back from the frontline.

Clutching his plaque with visible emotion, Ojwee reflected on the dark days of the two-decade war, describing the award as a "vindication of the truth."

"When we were in the bushes of Pader, Kitgum, and Gulu, dodging landmines and crossfire to get the story out, we weren't looking for medals. We were looking for a way to let the world know that our people were suffering," Ojwee said.

Gloria Laker Adikini, Director of PJF, congratulated the awardees, describing journalism as an “essential commodity” in times of war, capable of shaping dialogue, saving lives, and fostering reconciliation.