Kenyatta urges journalists to speak Africa's truth

By Paul Busharizi

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has urged the international media to go beyond the stereotypes of Africa and focus more on the great promise that is being unlocked all around the continent.

"Why do we exaggerate Africa's failure and ignore Africa's success?" Kenyatta asked during the annual CNN Multichoice African Journalist Awards 2015 held in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi on Saturday night.

He scolded journalists for trotting out the "same old tired stereotypes" which disrespect and devalue African lives, before urging “all of us who love Africa should stand up for African truths.... reclaim the African narrative".

The Kenyan leader pointed out that while there was darkness, there was also the fact that Kenya had connected 14,000 primary schools to the grid.

And while there had been an Ebola outbreak, little mention was made of the sacrifice in resources and manpower by the continent to stem the latest outbreak of the hemorrhagic fever.

Kenyatta also said there is war the continent through AMISOM was working in Somalia to end.

The 20th edition of the awards was won by Burkina Faso's Hyacinthe Sanou whose winning entry was a report on the parliamentary rejection of former president's Blaise Compaoré's attempt to lift constitutional term limits.

“I was not the best, just the lucky one," said Sanou, who was one of 31 African journalists nominated for the award.

Sanou dedicated his award to the continent's champions of democracy.

Two Ugandans, New Vision's Petride Mudoola and The East African's Benedicta Asiimwe, were among the nominees in the fifteen categories under review.