Ugandan filmmaker wins international conservation do

________________ Ugandan conservation storyteller and filmmaker Jonathan Benaiah has won the top prize at the WildPitch Kenya 2026 awards, one of Africa's leading pitching competitions for wildlife and natural history filmmakers. The awards ceremony was held on June 15, 2026, in Nairobi, Kenya. Benaiah secured first place with Musambwa, a documentary project that explores the relationship between spirituality, fear and conservation through the experiences of two Ugandan elders. One protects sacred cobras believed to carry the spirits of ancestors on Musambwa Island in Lake Victoria, while the other lives with the trauma of surviving two near-fatal snake bites on the mainland. The project was selected from six finalists drawn from across Africa before emerging as the overall winner. As part of the award, Benaiah received $2,500 (about sh9 million) in development funding to support further research and production of the documentary. Speaking after the win, Benaiah described the recognition as both humbling and encouraging, saying it reflects growing international interest in African stories that explore the intersection of conservation, culture and indigenous knowledge.