PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan on Monday night led a galaxy of cabinet ministers, corporate executives, media personalities and the diplomatic community in the first edition of Samia Kalamu Awards.

The event was co-hosted by the Tanzania Media Women’s Association (TAMWA) and the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), where the president reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening the media sector by building institutional capacity and progressively addressing existing challenges.

Praising strides made in promoting the freedom of expression, she insisted on responsible journalism grounded in patriotism. “The government is with you,” she stated, affirming that as the government’s capacity grows, “we are open to dialogue, ready to identify challenges and work together to ensure that the media sector not only grows, but thrives.”

She emphasised the balance between press freedom and national unity: “You can speak, express, analyse—but let patriotism remain. This is where you were born and belong. Even if you end up abroad, Tanzania is still your home. Honour it.”

This year’s edition of the awards saw Nipashe and The Guardian shine, with the former named Media House of the Year for submitting the highest number of entries.

Sanula Athanas, chief sub-editor for Nipashe, won the sports reporting award, while Vitus Audax, the newspaper’s Mwanza bureau chief, came top in environmental journalism.

Francis Kajubi, a business reporter with The Guardian, came top in economic reporting. As overall entries winner, Nipashe took home 5m/- and a fully funded trip to the Kiswahili Congress in France, and a study tour to the United States.

Other top winners included Dodoma FM (best community radio in the Mainland), Tumbatu FM (Zanzibar) and online platform Wazo Huru, winning in the digital media category.

In her speech, the president underlined the importance of community and rural media in delivering critical information, especially to underserved populations. “In some regions, information in local languages is more impactful than Swahili or English. These platforms reach farmers, small entrepreneurs and local communities with information that affects their lives directly,” she said.

She also stressed the need for data-driven and contextual journalism. “Saying the economy grew by 5.5 percent means little without explaining how that impacts ordinary citizens. That’s your job as journalists—to make such data relevant.”

She emphasized accurate use of Swahili in reporting to enhance accessibility and bolster the national language, similarly asking media outlets to harness digital tools in the wake of rising mobile news platforms and online TV.

“Digital transformation must support timely, accurate dissemination—covering prices, markets, innovation and productivity. These updates are vital for the public and private sectors alike,” she said, underlining that reliable data is key to accountability and informed decision-making.

Reflecting on traditional media practices, she said that in the past, some local content inadvertently harmed national interests. Today, much of the media highlights success stories while responsibly pointing out shortcomings, she asserted.

Joyce Shebe, the TAMWA chairperson and lead organiser, reported that the 2025 edition of what used to be Excellence in Journalism awards received 1,131 entries from journalists nationwide, with 85 shortlisted for public voting.

“The public cast 60,638 votes. Winners were determined by 60 percent public vote and 40 percent from the judging panel,” she explained.

Dr. Jabir Bakari, the TCRA director general, hailed the awards as a powerful platform to promote professional excellence. TCRA was working to improve broadcasters’ work environments, pushing for tech adoption and defending media freedom, he added.