By David Lumu

The Prime Minister, Amama Mbabazi, has called upon media houses in the East African Community to enhance the federation agenda.

Speaking at the East African media awards at Speke Resort Hotel, Munyonyo, Mbabazi said that, the media is a key source of information on the integration agenda and that the efficacy of a deep integration requires well-researched and investigated information dispensation to the citizens.

“The awards should help the media move to another level. The awards will encourage the media report more about the East African Community issues,” he said.

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R-L Executive Director of Entango Investments Limited, Tanzania Ms Emma Kawawa, The prime minister Amama Mbabazi and the Secretary General of the EAC Richard Sezibera

Mbabazi thanked the EAC secretariat for introducing the awards. The Premier also said that the awards have come at a time when the EAC block is making critical milestones towards integration.

Dr. Richard Sezibera, the Secretary General of the East African Community thanked Mbabazi for his unending spirit about the EAC affairs and also said that “we are very happy with the cooperation we have in the region”.

The awards, which were organized by the EAC in conjunction with the East African Business Council (EABC), saw journalists from various media outlets in the regions get recognized for their exceptional reporting about the EAC federation agenda.

The winners were Christabel Ligali, Dicta Asiimwe from The East African, Lydia Namono, Dorothy Nakaweesi from Daily Monitor, Eric Kabeera, James Karuhanga from The New Times, Joshua Masinde from Daily Nation and Zephania Ubwani from The Citizen.

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A group photograph with some of the winners

EABC representative, Francis Onapito said that the media needs to slightly do more about their reporting of the EAC issues and also advised that they should come up with a formula that makes their products available across the region.