Communications Authority of Kenya launches Kuza Awards
Communications Authority of Kenya launches Kuza Awards
Yesterday marked the launch of the 4th edition of the communication Authorities of Kenya annual Kuza Awards. The event took place at the Hilton hotel where the people Choices Awards were launched too. The Awards had been running since 2017 with an exception of 2020 due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
The aim of the awards is to recognize broadcasters who stand in line with the Regulatory Requirement Board of Kenya .This year’s theme would tend to focus on preservation of people culture and diversity .The theme which is “ Preserving our Heritage through Broadcasting (Kenya a Heritage of Splendor)”,would tend to award broadcasters who have been on the frontline to air different cultural programs on their platforms as this promote national unity according to the CA.
“Broadcasting still remains a very powerful medium for influencing culture and that’s why it should be desirable to reflect our National values, aspirations, and dreams to promote national unity and cohesion “this year’s theme will tend to acknowledge broadcasters who promote patriotism, those who uphold Kenyan cultural beliefs and values and also those that have contributed to national unity and cohesion, “says Mary Wanjau ,the Director General of the CA.
This was also enhanced through the 40% quarter for airing local content and also use of vernacular language a prescription made by the Communication Authorities.
This year’s awards has also unveiled three new categories the first one being the patriotic Award Category, to honor broadcasters that have demonstrated patriotism through positively impacting and disseminating information and implementing the authorities and government directives in response to covid-19 pandemic.
The second category is the upcoming broadcaster Award that would focus on new broadcasters who have been in operation for the last three years and have promoted compliance and adherence to regulatory requirements.
And the last one is the Copy write Award that would recognize broadcasters who are incompliance with the properties of copyright and intellectual regulatory requirements as provided for in the license condition.
Those licensees found in violation of copy right regulatory requirement would risk facing revocation of their business license issued and would cease to operate their work.
The jury who would be accessing the activities consist of: Consumer Federation of Kenya (COFEK), Kenya Copyright Board (KBC,) Media Council of Kenya (MCK),Television and Radio listeners Association(TEVIRA),National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC),Kenya Film Commission(KFC),Reel forge Analytics a media monitoring firm and lastly Better SMS Limited which is a service provider company.
The event further highlighted some emergency concerns on the betting and lottery games in Kenya. Such services were found in breach of the the laid down rules and regulation by the Betting Control and Licensing board of Kenya. The media also found themselves entangled in the breech; this is according to Peter Mbugi the director of BCLB.