Africa Uncensored's investigative journalist John Allan Namu (right) and Trace International CEO Alexandra Wrage during the award presenting ceremony in Vancouver, Canada June 2019. Credit: Businesstoday.com

The Media Council of Kenya has awarded investigative journalist, John Allan Namu for exposing corruption in South Sudan. 

The announcement was made during the 8th Annual Journalism Excellence Awards – AJEA 2019 in Nairobi on Friday.

The award was presented to the journalist by Raila Odinga, the former Prime Minister of Kenya and the African Union High Representative for Infrastructure Development in Africa.

The media awards ceremony is an annual event organized by the Media Council of Kenya to recognize and uphold excellence and professionalism in the media industry in Kenya.

The former KTN investigative journalist, John Allan Namu won the AJEA 2019  – Journalist of the Year award as well as the governance reporting award in the Television category.

The investigative story – titled ‘The Profiteers’ exposed the lavish lifestyle of politicians and how they looted and stashed their wealth in Kenya and Uganda.

Mr. Allan who is also the Africa Uncensored CEO has previously won the international award, months after a Kenyan television refused to air the story.

The documentary won the Trace International’s 2019 prize for investigative reporting at an award ceremony held in Vancouver, Canada, June 2019.

The documentary was produced by Allan alongside five other Africa Uncensored journalists including Elijah Kanyi (camera operator), Samuel Munia (camera operator), Steve Biko (video editor) and Clement Kumalija (graphics artist).

The Profiteers, which is available on Africa Uncensored’s YouTube and social media accounts, documented how senior officials in Juba have been stealing public funds.

The investigation explores the linkages between war and the operations of business people, financial institutions, and government and military officials in Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia.

The documentary said the money looted from the public coffers is wired to Kenya and Uganda through banking institutions where the cartels have been investing in different businesses.

It exposed how Kenyan banks are complicit in the instability in South Sudan by allowing the generals to bank their stolen money in Kenya.

It also exposed how the former army chief, General Paul Malong is being protected by Kenya’s military.

Besides that, the documentary also exposed how Sudan’s People’s Liberation Army In Opposition (SPLA-IO) were taking advantage of instability in the country to sell teak.

In October 2018, the Africa Uncensored reported that Senior Ugandan police, intelligence and army officers from the West Nile region may be involved in the trade of illegally logged timber.

The report was part of an undercover operation in which Allan posed as a potential buyer of timber sourced from the country.

In the documentary, one facilitator of the illegal timber trade told Allan, in Uganda, protection is just a phone call away.

The Profiteers has shown how certain members of the elite in the country have profited from the war while investing in Kenya and other East African countries.

The investigation shows how these generals move funds and obtain weapons with support from government and military officials, business people, and financial institutions in neighboring countries.

John Allan Namu’s African Uncensored has also been picked among 12 finalists for the Global Shining Light Award next month.

The winners will be announced in September at the 2019 Global Investigative Journalism Conference in Hamburg in Germany.  In addition to the monetary reward, the winners will be honored with an honorary plaque.

The award is sponsored by the Global Investigative Journalism Network, an association of 182 organizations in 77 countries that works to strengthen investigative reporting around the world.