Journalism Students Triumph at Africa Newsroom Contest 2026

KIU, Main Campus - Kampala International University (KIU) Journalism and Mass Communication students have once again demonstrated their journalistic talent and competitive spirit after delivering an impressive performance at the 2026 African Newsroom Contest, held on 31st October, 2026 under the theme; Harnessing Artificial Intelligence to Reimagine our Communities through responsible journalism.

The university secured first place in the English Television category beating 9 other Universities, finished third in Luganda Television and placed fourth in the Radio category, reaffirming KIU’s position as one of the leading institutions in practical journalism training and student media excellence.

Previously known as the National Newsroom Contest, the competition brings together journalism and mass communication students from universities and other learning institutions on the African Continent to demonstrate their practical abilities in broadcast journalism, newsroom production, reporting, presentation and storytelling.

The contest featured three major categories: Radio, Luganda Television and English Television. In the Radio category, participating teams were required to produce a complete radio magazine programme, while the television categories challenged students to produce full news bulletins in their respective languages.

KIU’s English Television team emerged as the overall winner, demonstrating strong newsroom coordination, news production, reporting and presentation skills. The Luganda Television team also delivered a commendable performance, securing third place, while the Radio team finished fourth in a highly competitive category.

The latest results add to KIU’s impressive history in the Media Challenge Initiative’s inter-university journalism competitions.

In 2022, KIU emerged as the overall winner of the National Newsroom Contest, collecting eight awards at the Media Challenge Awards. 

In 2023, KIU continued its winning tradition by emerging as the best English news team. The university also sent five students to the six-month Media Challenge Fellowship Programme, providing them with further opportunities to strengthen their multimedia journalism skills.

The year 2024 marked a historic milestone for the university. KIU became the first university in the history of the competition to win both the English and Luganda television news bulletin categories in the same edition. The achievement was further celebrated at the 2024 Media Challenge Awards, where KIU students collected seven awards across individual and team categories.

In 2025, KIU student Esther Owarimpa won the Best Photo Feature Award at the Media Challenge Initiative Awards, while other KIU students also received recognition in individual categories.

The 2026 performance, with victory in English Television and podium placement in Luganda Television, demonstrates the university’s continued competitiveness and determination to maintain its place among the country's leading student journalism teams.

A notable aspect of the 2026 team's preparation was the involvement of former KIU students who had previously participated in the same competitions. Drawing on their newsroom experience, the alumni took up the responsibility of training and preparing the current students.

The training programme was led by Isaac Akugizibwe, who served as the lead trainer, alongside Jacob Munghesi Junior and other former students; Isaac Tayebwa, Ashiraf Kanunu, Umar Kisekka among others who contributed their knowledge, experience and practical skills.

This mentorship approach highlights the value of alumni engagement in strengthening academic programmes. It also demonstrates how students who once benefited from practical training opportunities can return to guide and inspire the next generation.

By transferring their experience to current students, the former participants helped build continuity, teamwork and a culture of excellence within KIU's journalism community.

The African National Newsroom Contest provides students with an opportunity to apply classroom knowledge in realistic newsroom environments. Through research, interviewing, scriptwriting, editing, production, anchoring and reporting, participants gain practical experience that prepares them for the demands of the media industry.

For KIU, the results reflect the importance of combining academic instruction with hands-on training, mentorship and opportunities for students to compete beyond the university environment.

The university’s historic double television victory in 2024, its strong performances in previous editions and its latest achievement in 2026 demonstrate the talent and potential within its Journalism and Mass Communication programme.

As KIU celebrates the latest achievement, the university community is encouraged to continue supporting student-led media initiatives, practical training, modern production facilities and alumni mentorship to sustain this culture of excellence.

Congratulations to Team KIU, the trainers, alumni and the entire Department of Journalism and Media Studies for keeping the KIU flag flying high.