Mount Kigali University Vice Chancellor Dr Martin Kimemia, has extended his heartfelt congratulations to the winners of the 2024 Development Journalism Awards (DJA). He also lauded the Rwanda media industry professionalism. He said this during the award ceremony on November 7, 2024. “We commend the Rwanda Journalists’ Association (ARJ) for its continued dedication to enhancing media professionalism in Rwanda, and we celebrate this 10th edition of the awards for its impact in elevating standards within the field,” said Dr Kimemia. As a leading institution in media studies, journalism, film production, and communication, Mount Kigali University is proud to support this initiative. In line with our commitment to Rwanda’s growing service economy, we are pleased to offer a scholarship to one of this year’s award winners to pursue a Master of Arts in Journalism, Media, and Communication Studies at our university,” he added. Kimemia clarified that the beneficiary must meet the academic requirements for a Master’s course. Organised annually by the ARJ in partnership with the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) and the Rwanda Media Commission (RMC), the DJA recognises and celebrates excellence and professionalism in journalism. It honours the exceptional contributions of journalists across Rwanda. Mount Kigali University boasts a strong tradition of nurturing award-winning journalists. Last year, journalist Issa Kwigira, then working for Flash TV, won the Child Development Reporting Award. He now works for Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA). The university is equally proud to celebrate Christian Mugisha Nshuti , a student and reporter at media firm IGIHE who won in that category this year. Mugisha’s award-winning story is about Hakizimana Tumusifu David, a 17-year-old from Kamonyi District, Rugarika Sector, who, despite limited resources, has developed a remarkable talent for creating technological devices. Currently a student at GS Masaka, Hakizimana started designing various tech devices between 2020 and 2021. Driven by his passion for technology, he has built devices similar to drones, robots that carry loads, microscopes, and other inventions. The award is a testament to the dedication and passion I've poured into my career from day one, said Mugisha. The training and experience gathered from both school and in the field has given me a solid foundation, not only in reporting skills but in the ethical standards and professionalism that are crucial in journalism. With this recognition, I'm even more motivated to push the boundaries in child development reporting and contribute meaningfully to the community that we serve, he added. Head of the Mass Media, Film, and Communication department at Mount Kigali University, Festus Irungu, sees reasons for optimism about the future of journalism, thanks to the university’s ongoing investment in high-quality training for aspiring journalists. “We must train journalists efficiently, especially as the growing digital media and citizen journalism bring challenges like misinformation, he said. This,” Irungu asserted, “makes it essential to uphold and improve the quality of professional journalism. That’s why we have invested heavily in training, and we’re already seeing the impact with the growing number of skilled journalists we’re sending into the field. Mount Kigali University is dedicated to empowering journalists and promoting media literacy through specialised courses designed to meet the needs of today’s media profession. These programmes include a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Media and Communication (with Journalism and Media Studies options) and Public Relations and Communications Management, a Bachelor of Arts in Film Production and Animation Studies, and a Master of Arts in Journalism and Media Studies.
