BBC News has paid tribute to Kenyan journalist Rukia Bulle as she emerges as the 2024 Komla Dumor Award winner. Bulle was honored for her exceptional storytelling ability in covering human interest narratives and amplifying the voices of marginalized communities.
Dumor was a Ghanaian journalist and BBC World News presenter, who was deeply committed to sharing Africa’s narratives with a global audience. The BBC News Komla Dumor Award was established in his memory following his sudden passing in 2014.
The Award honors outstanding individuals living and working in Africa, who combine strong journalism skills, on-air flair, and an exceptional talent in telling African stories.
Bulle who works for Nation Media Group stood out from the rest by showing resilience and ability to handle challenging stories. She has also constantly been utilizing her social media platforms, especially TikTok, to showcase her journey as a journalist.
“Winning this award means a great deal to me and I hope it inspires young girls like me, who wear the hijab coming from the minority communities, to dream big and achieve their goals,” she told BBC News.
Bulle is the ninth recipient of the Award. She follows in the footsteps of fellow Kenyans Victoria Rubadiri and Wahiga Mwaura who have previously been honored with the recognition.
“Previous recipients of the award have made significant contributions to public service journalism so we are thrilled to welcome Rukia Bulle as this year’s winner,” commented BBC.
Bulle is set to receive a mentored training and development opportunity with the BBC in London for three months. As part of the placement, Bulle will also get to travel to a country in Africa to report on a story that will be broadcast to the BBC’s global audiences.
Bulle also appeared in last year’s 100 Most Influential Kenyan Muslims list.
