A collage of Radio Africa Group journalists Bosco Mariita and Damaris Kiilu who have been nominated for AJEA 2025 / HANDOUTTwo journalists from Radio Africa have been nominated for the Annual Journalism Excellence Awards (AJEA) 2025.
The Star newspaper senior writers Bosco Mariita and Damaris Kiilu have been nominated in two categories.
Bosco has been nominated for the Gender and Inclusivity Reporting category, while Damaris has been nominated for the Sports Reporting category.
The two will battle it out with fellow media colleagues in their respective categories for the prestigious journalism awards.
The annual awards seek to recognise courage and commitment of journalists to the collection, investigation and processing of data and information in a professional manner.
They offer an opportunity to showcase the outstanding contributions of journalists from across the country to the Kenyan society and audiences at large.
The Star Newspaper is known for bold political reporting, investigative journalism and timely coverage of national and regional news with a focus on governance, justice and public interest.
The Radio Africa Group family congratulated the nominees and wished them the best of luck.
Bosco expressed joy for his nomination, saying he is humbled.
He said the nomination is a big stride in his journlaism career, which has now lit a fire within him to continue pushing impactful stories.
“This nomination is a humbling experience for me as a journalist. Telling stories that touch lives is the best way to build a legacy as a journalist. While we wait for the final verdict, I'm comforted by the reality that someone somewhere spotted my story and deemed it fit to be worth an award,” he said.
“Massive thanks go to my bosses, Digital Editor Francis Mureithi and the Editorial Director Paul Ilado, for always being supportive and allowing us the opportunity to work on impactful stories. Their guidance has been impactful in shaping our work to this level of being recognised."
Damaris vowed to continue working on impactful stories that positively impact society, stating that she is passionate about changing the world through stories.
“I'm deeply honoured to be nominated as a finalist for this award. This recognition is testament to the passion I hold for journalism and the power of storytelling to create meaningful impact in our society. I wish to sincerely thank my bosses, Digital Editor Francis Mureithi, his deputy Nancy Agutu and Editorial Director Paul Ilado, for their invaluable support and guidance,” Damaris said.
She also thanked her colleagues and loved ones for the constant encouragement, which she described as instrumental throughout her journey.
Ilado congratulated the nominees for their hard work in advancing impactful stories.
“Congratulations for the good job, keep it up,” he said.
Mureithi congratulated the duo, who also double up as digital sub-editors, and wished them well in the next step.
“Congratulations, Damaris Kiilu and Bosco Marita. Good stories that you submitted. It's an affirmation of excellence in your journalism. All the best,” he said.
The AJEA 2025 was revamped to focus on recognising quality journalism across all platforms.
MCK CEO David Omwoyo highlighted the Council's commitment to rewarding excellence in storytelling irrespective of the medium.
Omwoyo announced new thematic special categories designed to inspire journalists to cover emerging and critical issues.
These included the Tourism Reporting Award, the National Cohesion/Developing Story Award and the Animal Welfare Award.
"These special categories are a reflection of the evolving nature of journalism and the need to capture the most pressing issues of our time," he said.
The winning entries will be recognised and awarded at the AJEA gala as the finale of the Annual Media Summit.
The prizes include cash, trophies, certificates and training scholarships.
