Surprisingly, a Kenyan journalist Rukia Bulle has won the 2024 BBC News Komla Dumor Award.
The 30-year-old, who is the ninth recipient of the award and works for Kenya’s Nation Media Group, specialises in human interest stories.
Aside from that, Bulle has also successfully built a strong following on TikTok through her relatable and informative content on the life of a journalist.
The prestigious award was created to honour Dumor, a Ghanaian journalist and presenter for BBC World News, who died suddenly aged 41 in 2014.
He had worked tirelessly to bring a more nuanced narrative of Africa to the world, representing a confident, savvy and entrepreneurial side.
The judges were impressed by Bulle’s resilience and ability to handle challenging stories, her focus on highlighting under-represented voices and her strong on-air presence.
“Winning this award means a great deal to me. As a journalist, you constantly strive to do your best, regardless of recognition, so to be acknowledged on a global stage through the Komla Dumor Award is incredibly validating,” said Bulle, who appeared last year on a list of 100 Most Influential Kenyan Muslims.
“I hope this award inspires young girls like me, who wear the hijab and come from minority communities, to dream big and achieve their goals”.
The Kenyan journalist will spend three months working with BBC News teams across television, radio and online in London.
She will also receive training and be mentored by leading BBC journalists.
A year before his death, Komla Dumor featured in New African magazine’s list of the 100 most influential Africans
Tarik Kafala, acting director of the BBC World Service, said he was delighted that the Komla Dumor Award had nurtured the careers of several journalists across the continent.
“Previous recipients of the award have made significant contributions to public service journalism so we are thrilled to welcome Rukia Bulle as this year’s winner,” he said.
As part of the placement, Bulle will travel to a country in Africa to report on a story that will be broadcast to the BBC’s global audiences.
Previous award recipients are Paa Kwesi Asare, Dingindaba Jonah Buyoya, Victoria Rubadiri, Solomon Serwanjja, Waihiga Mwaura, Amina Yuguda, Didi Akinyelure and Nancy Kacungira, the inaugural winner.
Last year, Asare travelled to Kenya to report on the country’s budding electric motorbike taxi revolution.
