The judges found that Mbobe’s well composed story entitled “Debts and daughters” broadcast on Inter-World Radio in June 2004 was a worthy winner of the first prize.
Mbobe’s story dealt with a taboo social subject of immense public importance, namely the “Kupimbira practice” whereby daughters are sold of into marriage to alleviate poverty and family debts.
Mbode showed sensitivity in dealing with the subject. The judges were impressed by the fact that Mbobe got key players at grassroots level to talk openly about the subject.
Mbode’s piece was based on the experiences of a 14-year-old girl who was sold of into marriage when she was only 10 by her father who was heavily in debt. The girl told of how she was forced into marriage with a 62-year-old man in order to save her father from being imprisoned for debt.
The judges said Mbobe’s piece showed that investigative journalism is not limited to exposing corruption and mismanagement alone.
The award will be given on Friday, May 6, 2005 in Blantyre, Malawi. A symposium to equip journalists with investigative skills and understanding will be hosted on May 5, 2005, in Blantyre at the Blantyre Press Club.
Runners-up
The judges highly commended Jessica Pitchford of the SABC’s special assignment for her story that exposed certain police officers in South Africa for exploiting sex workers and taking bribes from their “clients”, Brian Ligomeka of the Sunday Times and Malawi Standard for his piece on the infamous youth militia in Malawi and Ambrose Namoyo of The Dispatch for his story about how HIV positive people in Malawi are struggling to access HIV treatment, particularly Anti Retroviral Drugs.
The judges were:
Wisani wa ka Ngobeni
Wisani is a multi-award winning investigative journalist and the Associate Editor of the Mail & Guardian.
Evelyn Groenink
Evelyn is a Dutch investigative journalist residing in South Africa and she represented NIZA, Netherlands Institute of Southern Africa.
Felicitus Mashungwa
Felicitus is the head of news and current affairs for the Botswana Television.
Kaitira Kandjii
Kaitira is the MISA programme manager for the John Manyarara Investigative Award
See also:
Media Institute for Southern Africa
