TOP AFRICA NEWS Journalist Mutangana Emmanuel Wins Best Feature Story at 2026 Rwanda Development Journalism Awards
KIGALI — TOP AFRICA NEWS journalist Mutangana Emmanuel has won the Best Feature Story Award at the 13th Development Journalism Awards (DJA 2026), recognising his compelling reporting on the experiences of residents relocated from Mpazi in Kigali.
Mutangana received the recognition for his feature article, “Life After Relocation: Are Mpazi Residents Adjusting to Their New Homes in Kigali?”, published on TOP AFRICA NEWS on March 2, 2026.
The article examined the experiences of residents following their relocation from Mpazi, exploring how they were adjusting to their new homes and navigating the social and economic realities of rebuilding their lives in different surroundings.
Through a people-centred approach, the story brought attention to the human dimension of urban development and resettlement, highlighting the importance of listening to affected communities and understanding how development initiatives shape people’s everyday lives.
The award was presented during a ceremony held on Friday at Camp Kigali, also known as the Kigali Conference and Exhibition Village, where journalists from different media organisations were recognised for outstanding reporting across various development-related categories.
Joseph Hakuzwumuremyi of Umuryango News and Umuryango TV was named Journalist of the Year, receiving a prize of RWF 7 million.
The awards ceremony was organised by the Association of Rwanda Journalists (ARJ), in partnership with the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB), the Rwanda Media Commission (RMC) and the Association of Female Journalists in Rwanda (ARFEM). It coincided with celebrations marking Africa Day of Information.
ARJ President Dan Ngabonziza, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Kigali Today, opened the ceremony by recognising journalists for their commitment, integrity and contribution to society through reporting that gives citizens a voice.
RGB Secretary General Edward Kalisa announced the winner of the top individual award.
According to information presented during the ceremony, the jury reviewed 125 submitted stories and shortlisted 35 before selecting approximately 31 winners across different categories.
The categories covered a wide range of development issues, including health, child development, water and sanitation, information and communication technology, telecommunications, sports, gender equality, governance and service delivery.
Other early announced winners included Bunani Janvier of Radio Ishingiro, recognised for Health Reporting, and Ishimwe Iradukunda Patience of Rwanda Broadcasting Agency, recognised for ICT and Telecommunications reporting.
In the child development category, awards went to Muhire Aphrodice of Rwanda Broadcasting Agency, Youssuf Ubonabagenda of Radio TV10 and Micomyiza Balinda Fidele of Imvaho Nshya.
The Rwanda Revenue Authority also recognised journalists whose reporting contributed to discussions on tax compliance and domestic resource mobilisation. Among those recognised were Mbonimpa Népomuscène of Radio Isangano, Rosine Ntawurikura of Radio Salus and David Ndagijimana of Radio Ishingiro.
Jury member Martin Nyirijabo highlighted the importance of several considerations in evaluating the submitted work, including topic selection, relevance, professionalism, ethical standards, impact and the language used in reporting.
Established in 2012, the Development Journalism Awards were created to recognise outstanding journalism and encourage professionalism across Rwanda’s media sector.
Now in their 13th edition, the awards have become an important platform for celebrating reporting that goes beyond simply telling stories to investigate significant issues, inform public debate, strengthen accountability and contribute to national development.
For TOP AFRICA NEWS, Mutangana’s recognition represents an important achievement and reinforces the value of journalism that places communities at the centre of development conversations.
His award-winning feature demonstrates how reporting on the experiences of ordinary citizens can bring greater attention to the social implications of development policies and urban transformation.
The achievement also highlights the contribution of journalists working to ensure that development is not understood only through infrastructure, statistics and official announcements, but also through the experiences of the people directly affected.
TOP AFRICA NEWS congratulates Mutangana Emmanuel on this recognition and celebrates his contribution to impactful, people-centred development journalism in Rwanda.
Read the award-winning story: Life After Relocation: Are Mpazi Residents Adjusting to Their New Homes in Kigali?
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