Dar es Salaam — The 2026 Samia Kalamu Awards was officially launched in Dar es Salaam yesterday, with journalists and content creators across the country urged to strengthen development journalism through impactful stories that contribute to national growth and transformation.
Submission of entries officially opened yesterday and will remain open until June 30th, this year. Organisers have called on journalists, media houses and content creators to submit quality development stories highlighting how national projects are improving citizens' lives.
Chairman of the Samia Kalamu Awards and Director General of the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), Mr Peter Mwasalyanda, said the awards aim to recognise and promote quality local content that informs, educates and contributes to national development.
"These awards seek to recognise, appreciate and encourage the production of quality local content that educates, informs and entertains while strengthening the positive image of our nation through development stories," he said. This year's competition will feature three categories: Special National Awards, Media House Awards and Sectoral Awards.
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Mr Mwasalyanda said participating journalists must be Tanzanian citizens accredited by the Journalists Accreditation Board (JAB) for Mainland Tanzania or hold valid press cards for Zanzibar, while media houses must possess valid operating licences issued by relevant authorities.
He said JAB has been involved in preparations to ensure professionalism, integrity and ethical standards are upheld throughout the competition process.
"Submitted works must have been published or broadcast between July 1st, last year and June 30th, this year and should demonstrate in-depth research and analysis, include at least four sources, and focus on development issues showing how national projects have created opportunities and improved people's lives," he said.
Mr Mwasalyanda added that entries must not have been submitted to other competitions and must comply with copyright and intellectual property requirements.
He said submissions are being received through the Samia Kalamu Awards online portal, where journalists and content creators are required to upload their work before the deadline.
Mr Mwasalyanda said the awards continue to promote research-based journalism and encourage the production of high-quality local content.
He noted that earlier training programmes organised by TCRA and the Tanzania Media Women's Association (TAMWA) have benefited more than 2,000 journalists, helping to strengthen development reporting skills and improve content quality.
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"For 2026, we are determined to build on these achievements and ensure the awards remain a strong platform for identifying and rewarding journalism that contributes to national development," he said.
TAMWA Chairperson Dr Kaanaeli Kaale encouraged journalists and content creators to participate actively, saying development journalism plays a key role in connecting citizens with development initiatives.
"Development stories are important for the nation. We are the bridge between the government and wananchi," she said.
Acting Executive Director of JAB, Advocate Patrick Kipangula, urged journalists to comply with accreditation requirements and focus on producing impactful stories.
"All journalists should ensure they are accredited through JAB and produce stories that create impact in society," he said.
Organisers said all entries will be reviewed by an independent panel of judges with expertise in journalism, communications and public relations. Shortlisted works will then proceed to public voting via the awards website and SMS platform.
Under the voting framework, public votes will contribute 60 per cent, while judges' scores will account for 40 per cent to balance public opinion with professional assessment.
The awards ceremony is expected to take place between October and December 2026.
