Star reporter Malemba Mkongo wins AU award

A reporter with the Star based in Mombasa has been awarded following her exemplary article, ‘Sex tourists prey on minors pimped by her own parents in Mtwapa’.

Malemba Mkongo’s story was voted first in the print category and third overall during the African Girls' Summit on Friday.

Her winning story, which was published in May 2019, was inspired by a girl who was a victim of child marriage, which is common in the coastal region.

Reacting to the good news, Malemba said the Star training editor Victoria Graham and features editor Tom Jalio motivated and guided her to pursue the story in interesting and unique ways.

In 2019, she was named the best feature writer during Radio Africa Group’s staff awards thanks in part to the story.

“It came to me as a shock for the story to win an international award. It's fulfilling to be recognised internationally and knowing that a story had some impact,” Malemba said.

She added that the award motivated her, and she will be producing more and better stories of the kind.

In her article, Malemba captured the story of a girl, Esha* (not her real name), who was used as a commodity by her father, placing his dowry demand even before she met her “husband to be”.

The girl was just 14 years old when her father introduced her to a white man.

The white man would visit Esha’s home, where she lived with her father and grandmother.

The Girls' Summit is organised by the Department of Social Affairs of the African Union Commission (AU’s secretariat).

Contenders submitted their entries last year but the awarding ceremony was postponed until this month amid the pandemic, and it was conducted virtually.

“I’m so happy because it’s a major award and I competed with journalists from all over Africa,” Malemba said.

The event was held with the agenda of empowering and mobilising the cultural role of youth to end harmful practices.

The main objective is to share experiences and good practices as well as challenges on ending child marriages at country, regional and international levels.

This is particularly with countries that have already launched the AU campaign to end child marriage.