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Chronicle Reporter
CHRONICLE journalists dominated at the inaugural Midlands Media Awards ceremony in Gweru last Friday.

The Midlands Media Awards were held at the prestigious Changamire Conference Centre at the Village Lodge in Gweru.

It was a colourful event filled with glitz and glamour as journalists who excelled in different categories were honoured.

Chronicle Midlands Bureau Chief Patrick Chitumba scooped the Mining Reporter of the year award.

He was also runner up in the Environment Reporter of the year award.
Kwekwe-based Chronicle Correspondent Michael Magoronga won the Business Reporter of the year award.

He was also the runner up in the Municipal Reporter of the year category.

Senior Zimpapers sales representative Prisca Chard received a shield for being outstanding in the marketing category.

Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Larry Mavima was the guest of honour at the event that was also attended by Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC), commissioner Jasper Maphosa; Media Institute of Southern

Africa Zimbabwe trustee Kelvin Jakachira and several high-profile personalities from the province.
Minister Mavima said:

“This is a welcome development for the province in line with the devolution agenda. Government is pushing the devolution agenda aimed at uplifting the livelihoods of its people in the areas they stay.

With the Midlands Awards, we can see that it’s no longer a Harare affair as you have shown that you can also decentralise or devolve,” he said.

Minister Mavima said journalists in the province had over the years been visible in pushing Government’s Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy 1.

“We have worked well with the media and having you honoured is a clear indication of how society values you. We are not adversaries but we complement each other. Government needs you to tell the people of the national programmes,” he said.

Commissioner Maphosa said ZMC is excited about the hosting of the Midlands Media awards.

He said journalists and the media were a conduit to national development.

“This is a first and should continue. We appreciate this event which honours outstanding reporters from this province and it dovetails with the devolution agenda,” he said.

Jakachira said other provinces must take a leaf from the Midlands province and honour outstanding journalists in their areas.

“We need to celebrate; we need to honour this great milestone and I hope other provinces copy you. We can’t all just wait for Harare to do such awards,” he said.

Chairperson of Midlands Media Awards Willie Mponda said next year the awards will be bigger and better.

The awards were sponsored by Size Investments, Mimosa Mining Company, River Valley Properties, Zimbuild, Chimona Mining, Zimasco, Gweru City Council, Delta Beverages, King Solomon Hotel, Steel makers and Shesham.