Garry scoops Airtel Top 8 best print journalist award

Seasoned Nation Publications Limited (NPL) sports editor Garry Chirwa was named the best print journalist of the Airtel Top 8 Tournament.

The awards ceremony was held yesterday in Lilongwe where champions Silver Strikers and Flames goalkeeper Brightone Munthali was named best player while losing finalists Be Forward Wanderers striker Khumbo Ng’ambi got the Golden Boot award after scoring three goals. They each got K500 000.

Chirwa yesterday said he felt honoured to win the inaugural best print journalist award.

“What is important is the judges recognition of my  work and the contribution towards the success of the tournament. I thank all my colleagues at NPL [Nation Publications Limited] where we work as a team and this is not only for me, but the entire team,” he said.

On his part, Munthali said he was over the moon to have been named the best player.

“It is a source of motivation. I never expected to win because there were a lot of players who also did well,” he said.

The panel of judges for the journalists comprised Ellard Manjawira, who is the head of journalism and media studies at University of Malawi’s Polytechnic, his deputy Jacob Jimu and a lecturer at the same institution  Maclan Kanyang’wa.

Malawi Broadcasting Corporation’s (MBC) Stevie Liwewe-Banda was named the best radio presenter, the best television award went to Lucy Kadzongwe also of MBC, Leonard Sharra got the best online award while Times Group’s Joseph-Claude Simwaka was named the best photo-journalist. They all got K200 000 each.

According to Airtel’s CSR and corporate communications manager Norah Chavula-Chirwa, among other things, the judges considered factual accuracy, originality and fluency, fair judgement, creative flair and analysis, tailoring the work for the target audience, relevance of the work, style and use of language. n