Uganda Press Photo Award
Meet 2025's Shortlisted Photographers
This year we're celebrating 14 years of the Uganda Press Photo Award, the 8 years edition of the East African Photography Award and the 10 years of the Young Photographer Award. Entries came in from all over East Africa and as always we are delighted to share in so much talent from the region.
We are proud to present this year’s shortlist, in alphabetical order. Stay tuned for the announcement of the overall winners on September 25th and the annual winners exhibition at MoTIV.
Agaba Joel Gabriel is a DJ, photographer, and theatre maker based in Kampala, Uganda. Their work explores themes of place, time, and belonging through people, architecture, and everyday spaces.
Rooted in preservation, Agaba transforms fragments of daily life into meditations on memory. During a recent residency at 32° East, they created an archive of vanished structures using photography and salvaged materials. Their conceptual practice often blends found objects, layered soundscapes, and installation, blurring the boundaries between image, space, and narrative.
Driven by detail and constant experimentation, Agaba approaches play as a creative method. They thrive in liminal spaces, drawing on personal dilemmas and a deep reverence for fleeting moments. Their work ultimately invites reflection—on what exists, persists, and resists.
Amar Abdalla Osman, also known as Mori, a Sudanese documentary and conceptual photographer. Works on projects that document daily life, war, and displacement in Sudan. He also creates conceptual works, exploring his relationship with place and identity.
Anthony Ochieng Onyango is an award winning Wildlife Ecologist, Educator, Conservation and Underwater Photographer. As well as a Filmmaker based in Nairobi, Kenya. His work is focused on creating conservation content that will inspire conservation action across all ages and races. He is the Executive Director and Founder of TonyWild Foundation. A platform for promoting conservation action by creating awareness on wildlife conservation through photography, film and science and he is a Board Member of Conservation Alliance of Kenya (CAK).
Daniel Irungu Mwangi is a Kenyan photojournalist with over a decade of experience, working with the European Pressphoto Agency. He has documented some of Kenya’s most pivotal and tragic events, including the 2013 and 2017 election violence, the Westgate Mall attack (2013), Garissa University attack (2015), DusitD2 hotel attack (2019), and the Gen Z-led anti-government protests of 2024–2025. He has also covered the armed conflict in Goma, DRC.
Driven by a passion for truth and storytelling, Daniel is dedicated to capturing powerful images that reveal untold or overlooked stories. His work sheds light on the lived realities of communities affected by conflict, violence, and political unrest. He believes in the power of visual journalism to inform, inspire, and provoke change. Committed to pushing boundaries, Daniel continues to deliver honest, compelling coverage of the stories that matter most.
Donwilson Odhiambo is an award-winning Kenyan documentary photographer, born and raised in Nairobi’s Kibera slums, he captures the social, cultural, political, and economic realities of daily life across Africa. His work focuses on human stories and societal norms, often shared through his Instagram and blog to connect with collaborators and clients.
With a deep passion about sustainable development and social justice in Kibera, Donwilson uses photography as a tool for advocacy and change. His keen eye, discipline, and commitment to quality have earned him recognition in the field. Known for his collaborative spirit, he works closely with fellow photographers, organizations, and communities, making him one of the region’s most exceptional visual storytellers.
Edwin Ndeke is a photojournalist and documentary photographer based in Nairobi, Kenya. His work focuses on socio-economic, cultural, political, and environmental issues—depicting a broader spectrum of life with the intention of addressing these matters within his society.
He is a professional member of the African Photojournalism Database (APJD), a joint project by World Press Photo, and an Up-Next member of Diversify Photo. With a diverse portfolio, Edwin has collaborated with leading clients, including major news publications, NGOs, and corporate organizations. He is a contributor to The Guardian and Anadolu News Agency, and his work has been featured in global outlets such as BBC, Time, Al Jazeera, Nordsee-Zeitung, and Le Point, among others.
Israa Alrrayah is a Sudanese documentary photographer and visual storyteller with a background in law. Her legal studies shaped her sensitivity to questions of justice and the unseen weight carried in people’s everyday lives.
Through her lens, she weaves intimate visual narratives that explore resilience, memory, and the human condition. She is currently studying Photojournalism at the Danish School of Media and Journalism (DMJX) in Denmark.
Her work has been exhibited internationally in South Africa, Egypt, Ghana, Qatar, Germany, and Denmark. Aspiring to carve a space in the global photography community as a Sudanese woman, Israa remains dedicated to uncovering untold truths and creating visual testaments that speak of both struggle and hope.
Jeremiah Onyango is a documentary photographer and storytelling enthusiast born and raised in Kibera, a vibrant community on the outskirts of Nairobi. Inspired by the everyday moments around him, his work captures the resilience, hope, and dreams of those often overlooked.
Jeremiah’s photography goes beyond images, each frame is a narrative woven with threads of emotion, history, and cultural identity. He is committed to using visual storytelling to challenge stereotypes and highlight both the strengths and struggles of his community.
For him, photography is a tool for empathy, understanding, and transformation. By documenting real lives and real stories, Jeremiah aims to spark dialogue, shift perspectives, and contribute to building a more just and inclusive society.
Kevin Ochieng Onyango is a documentary photographer and filmmaker based in Nairobi, Kenya. Originally a contemporary photographer, he transitioned into filmmaking to explore global issues through visual storytelling. He is also a photography trainer and runs a youth photography club, with recent work at Braeburn International School.
Kevin is the co-founder of SomasoAfrika, an organization that amplifies media visibility and produces films for advocacy, research, and project mapping.
His work has earned several accolades, including the FSC Climate and Innovation Photo Award (2022) and Environmental Photographer of the Year – Climate Action category (2021). His images have been featured in international exhibitions such as UN 75, UNESCO’s Silk Road in Paris, and the New York Times Climate Hub. In 2024, he was named a Rise Africa Young Storyteller fellow.
Lucas Otieno Oyugi is a documentary photographer based in Nairobi, Kenya, dedicated to telling human stories of resilience, struggle, and hope—often those that go unseen. Growing up in Kibera shaped his worldview, teaching him that even the most ordinary moments carry deep meaning.
His work centers on people, their environments, and the invisible threads that connect them. From documenting Gen Z protests in Nairobi to capturing quiet daily life around Lake Abaya in Ethiopia, he seeks to reveal the dignity and strength embedded in everyday experiences.
In 2024, he was awarded the Public Choice prize in the global Our World Is Kind Photography Competition.
For him, photography is not just about image-making, it is about creating memory, sparking conversation, and amplifying voices that are often overlooked.
Maureen Gathoni is a Kenyan conservation photographer dedicated to documenting wildlife and conservation efforts, with the goal of raising awareness and inspiring the next generation of conservationists. Her work spans from collaborating with rangers and wildlife vets to covering chimpanzee research in Uganda and the Northern White Rhino Recovery Program by BioRescue, highlighting critical scientific efforts to prevent extinction.
In 2021, she was featured in the Global Gala for Rhinos alongside her mother, the first female ranger and radio operator at Ol Pejeta Conservancy.
Maureen is a Women Photograph mentee 2023 and currently serves as a Girls Who Click Ambassador, a global initiative supporting young female nature photographers through mentorship and storytelling. She is also one of five women selected by The END Fund to document the impact of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) across Africa.
Natnael Ashebir is an Ethiopian visual artist whose practice explores the layers of identity, memory, place, and history that emerge from personal and collective encounters. Working across photography, painting, and mixed media, his work seeks to reveal layered narratives that connect individual experience with broader cultural context.
He earned a diploma from Entoto Polytechnic College in 2016, a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from the Alle School of Fine Art and Design in 2021. And in 2022, he was awarded the second prize at the Emerging Painting Invitational Prize (EPI).
Natnael is also the founder of Contemporary African, an online platform dedicated to amplifying emerging contemporary African artists' voices, visions, and encounters.
Sandra Agwico is a Ugandan communications professional and emerging documentary photographer passionate about using visual storytelling to spotlight untold community narratives.
With a background in journalism, advocacy, and digital communications, her work often focuses on social issues affecting marginalized groups, particularly women, children, and refugees.
Sandra is also a 2024 Media Challenge Fellow, a platform that has further strengthened her skills in impactful storytelling. and believes in the power of photography to ask critical questions—who gets to be seen, and whose stories are told?—and I seek to create images that inspire dialogue, empathy, and change.
Kirabo Serina Efrance is a passionate narrative change storyteller who utilizes the power of photography to shed light on often untold stories. With a background in Journalism and Mass Communication from Uganda Martyrs University Nkozi, Kirabo combines her academic knowledge with her artistic vision to create compelling visual narratives.
Sosina Mengistu is a self-taught photographer born and raised in Assosa, Benishangul-Gumuz, one of Ethiopia’s most culturally diverse regions. Her upbringing fostered a deep connection to culture, nature, and everyday life, which she expresses through photography.
Inspired by her father’s fieldwork photos, Sosina began documenting Ethiopia’s ceremonies, landscapes, and daily rhythms while at university. During the COVID-19 lockdown, she launched two personal projects: Our Quarantine Life, a photo story of her cousin’s routine later exhibited in London, and an ongoing self-portrait series exploring her inner world.
With over five years of experience, Sosina works across documentary, editorial, commercial, and creative photography, including music and art collaborations. She has partnered with NGOs and her work has appeared in various African magazines.
Currently, she is developing long-term projects focused on women, tradition, culture, and daily life; capturing quiet, meaningful moments with honesty and sensitivity.
Timothy Akolamazima is a documentary photographer committed to telling stories that inspire change in his community. In 2021, his project on frontline health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic earned him the Young Photographer Award. Through the Uganda Press Photo Award Mentorship Programme in 2022, he began a long-term project on tennis in Uganda, which was later exhibited at MOTIV and featured in The Guardian in February 2023.
His work reflects a deep commitment to using photography as a tool for storytelling, cultural preservation, and sparking dialogue around underrepresented narratives. Through powerful imagery and a focus on community-driven stories, he continues to document moments that challenge perspectives and encourage positive change.
Victor Kibalama is a lifestyle and documentary photographer based in Kampala, Uganda. For over two years, he has been drawn to the quiet, powerful stories found in everyday life.
What fascinates him most is how each story is unique, yet deeply familiar. He’s inspired by the rhythm of real life—its struggles, movement, and moments of change—and strives to capture that in his work.
To him, photography is more than documenting moments; it’s about telling stories that spark reflection, connection, and transformation. His approach is rooted in honesty and unforced moments, letting the story unfold naturally through the lens.