The year 2020 has been tough for everyone if not all, but this did not stop some of talented Kenyan celebs from shinning and placing Kenya on an international award.
Here are Kenyan celebs who won major international awards in 2020 during COVID-19 pandemic.
1.Elsa Majimbo – November
Kenyan online comedian Elsa Majimbo was happy after she bagged the E People’s award.
Elsa took to Twitter to announce her success moments after being announced
The good news just came in after Steve Harvey, American TV star, acknowledged her awesome online comedy in a Tweet
2.Henry Desagu – September
Kenyan online comedian Henry Desagu broke his roof after he was listed among top 100 most popular Africans on You Tube.
He became more popular after his You Tube account with few years old, hit over 100K subscribers.
Desagu’s commedy pieces are drawn from every day challenges facing the common man in Kenya.
Largely, his pieces are set in Nairobi’s satellite slum area, Mwihoko based in Kimabu town
The report also indicates that Desagu makes at least 11 million every year on You Tube with the current subscription of 321K subscribers
3.Victoria Rubadiri- September
Citizen TV anchor Victoria Rubadiri won the 2020 BBC World News Komla Dumor Award
The former NTV news cast became the second Kenyan to win the trophy after Waihiga Mwaura
Wahiga Mwaura, also a Citizen TV anchor, won the BBC World News Komla Dumor Award winner 2018 about two years ago.
The Komla Dumor Award is a journalism award launched by the BBC in 2015 in honour of the legacy of Ghanaian journalist Komla Dumor who worked for BBC World News and was the main presenter of its programme Focus on Africa
4.Larry Madowo – May
Larry Madowo’s work tittled ‘How Jumia (The Amazon of Africa)’ Failed to Deliver in New York won him a lucrative award.
Former NTV anchor’s 9,000-word piece won him the 2020 Philip Greer Award for Financial Writing.
He noted that he spent months reporting on Jumia’s first year on the NYSE from Lagos, Berlin, Nairobi & New York
5.Boniface Mwangi – May
Kenyan politician and activist Boniface Mwangi was crowned the winner of the global award by Schengen Peace Foundation and Luxembourg Peace Prize
The European based organization announced former Starehe MP aspirant Boniface Mwangi as the 2020 Outstanding Youth Peace Maker for his pre-eminent efforts and initiatives to promote peace.
However, Mwangi will had to wait untill the crowning day of May 28th, 2021 when the 2020 Luxembourg Peace Prize ceremony took place as part of the 5th Annual Transatlantic Dialogue conference at the University of Luxembourg.
Boniface Mwangi is a founder of PAWA254 that allows all artists from Nairobi and within to meet and showcase their creativity.
Having experienced first hand brutality during the 2007 post election violence, he established Picha Mtaani agenda where he showcased several brutality photos touring various towns in Kenya
Top 7 Boniface Mwangi awards at the age of 36
- CNN Multichoice Africa Photojournalist of the Year Award
- Prince Claus Laureate.
- New African Magazine’s 100 Most Influential Africans of 2014
- 2016 senior TED Fellow.
- Time magazine’s Next Generation Leader 2015
- Kenya’s Top 40 under 40 men 2016.
- Top 100 Kenyans 2019 by Kenyans.co.ke
6.Papa Jones
Papa Jones aka Khaligraphy Jones was announced an award winner recently during the Sound City MVP awards
He posted a photo of himself sleeping close to his already 2020 award.
7. Peter Tabichi
In November 2020, The 2019 Global teacher award winner Br Peter Tabichi was conferred with the 2020 Ahimsa Award .
The award was done by the Trustees of the Institute of Jainology in London for selfless action and compassion.
“He personifies peace, love and compassion in his work with both his students and his community, and truly represents the message of Ahimsa. We look forward to seeing his ongoing success as well as being a beacon for teachers and community leaders everywhere,” stated the Institute of Jainlogy Managing Trustee Dr. Mehool Sanghrajka.
8. Mashirima Kapombe & Dorcas Wangira
In October 2020, Royal Media Services key journalists who work under Citizen TV, Mashirima Kapombe and Dorcas Wangira were awarded with the Merck Foundation “Stay at Home” Media Recognition.
“So happy, so honored to share this with @dorcaswangira The stress of COVID-19 restrictions that led to an increase in gender based violence was the story I submitted. We won 1st prize, Multimedia category. I am overwhelmed ??? link to story on bio,” said Mashirima Kapombe.
“So, honored to win the First Prize, Multimedia Category jointly with the inimitable Mashirima Kapombe @MKapombe. Stories of resilience at the time of this pandemic have given us hope and lifted the people who trust us with their stories,” said Dorcas Wangira.
10. Ali Hussein
Dr Abdullahi Ali Hussein who is the founder of Hirola Conservation Programme, was crowned as the winner of 2020 Whitley Award
The award is meant to recognise wildlife conservation leaders. Mr Hussein’s project on conserving one of world’s most endangered species, the hirola antelope, emerged among the six best this year across the globe.
