Today, the BBC announced that KTN News Anchor Nancy Kacungira has been awarded the BBC World News Komla Dumor Award.
Nancy, who was born in Uganda, joined KTN in Kenya in 2013 as an anchor for prime time news and has reported from Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya. She also produces and presents a weekly segment that tells the inspirational stories of people working to better their local communities, and is KTN’s Social Media Editor. Prior to joining KTN, Nancy presented for Power FM in Kampala, and has also worked in digital marketing.
Nancy will join the BBC News teams in London for a three month placement starting in September. This placement provides the opportunity to gain skills and experience working with teams across BBC News on TV, radio and online reaching the BBC’s audiences of 308 million across the world.
Nancy said, “I am so greatly honoured and humbled to be the winner of this award. What I am most grateful for is the incredible opportunity given to me by the BBC to take my passion for African stories to the world stage and I look forward to reflecting the intriguing nuances of our continent in the story I will produce. I have always believed deeply and resolutely in the immense power and potential of Africa and Africans, and Komla Dumor was for me, one of the best examples of that; not just in his body of work, but in his personality too. To be a part of continuing his legacy is such an honour it feels almost like a dream!”
Nancy impressed the judges with her well-rounded knowledge of the complex issues facing Africa and her awareness of the challenges involved in covering the continent. Her passion for telling Africa’s diverse stories and challenging preconceived stereotypes reflect Komla’s own devotion to the continent and, as part of his legacy, Nancy will be able to share her enthusiasm with the BBC’s global audience.
James Harding, Director of BBC News and Current Affairs, said, “When Komla Dumor died, it was an enormous loss to the BBC, to the coverage of Africa and to all of us personally. I am delighted that in Nancy we have found an extremely passionate and talented journalist, a worthy winner of the award that we established in Komla’s name.”
Solomon Mugera, BBC Africa Editor said: “We are delighted to award the BBC World News Komla Dumor award to Nancy Kacungira. I believe that Nancy’s passion for, and understanding of, African journalism truly embodies everything the BBC World News Komla Dumor Award has been set up to commemorate. We look forward to welcoming her to London.”
The award was set up in honour of presenter Komla Dumor who passed away in January 2014 and aims to continue Komla’s legacy by celebrating African journalism and finding exceptional talent. The judging panel included BBC Global News Editor Vera Kwakofi, BBC Foreign Editor, Andrew Roy and the Editor for the Mail and Guardian in Africa, Charles Onyango-Obbo.
There are two runners up for the award: Leila Dee Dougan from South Africa and Paa Kwesi Asare from Ghana.
