John Muto was recognised for his bravery in telling deeply human stories of war.
By Chowoo Willy
Gulu City — Veteran journalist John Muto Ono P’Lajur of the Daily Monitor has been awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his courage and resilience in documenting the 1986–2006 civil war in Northern Uganda.
Muto, who reported from the Acholi sub-region, covered three major armed conflicts: the Uganda People’s Democratic Army (led by Maj. Gen. Odong Latek), the Holy Spirit Movement of Alice Lakwena, and the Lord’s Resistance Army under Joseph Kony.
He was recognised for his bravery in telling deeply human stories of war—capturing accounts of violence and survival, pain and resilience, as well as hope amid despair.
The award was presented by the Uganda Media Sector Working Group (UMSWG), a consortium of media organisations, as part of activities marking World Press Freedom Day 2026 under the theme: “Shaping a Future at Peace: Promoting Press Freedom for Human Rights, Development, and Security.”
Presenting the award at Muto’s home in Kayi A Cell, Bardege-Layibi Division in Gulu City, Irene Abalo Otto, Executive Director of the AfricMedia Training Institute, said the recognition honours journalists whose work upheld ethical standards and contributed to peace journalism.
“We are awarding those that did exceptional work in journalism and their work still stands for the practice of journalsim those who have left active practice, their contributions continue to shape journalism and promote peace,” she said.
Muto expressed gratitude to UMSWG for recognising his contribution to peacebuilding through journalism.
“I like to thank the group so much who thought of awarding me , a real life time achievement ,” he said.
Muto has now published a book with the compendium of these stories titled “War in Northern Uganda: A Journalist’s Account ” (2021).
Tony Walter Onena, also known as Tony Langalanga, a fellow veteran journalist who worked alongside Muto during the insurgency, described him as a committed professional who stood firmly for truth despite the risks.
“I am proud of Muto. His legacy still speaks today. Journalists should strive to build such impactful careers,” he said.
Okumu Livingstone Langol, founder of the now-defunct Luo newspaper Oyeng-Yeng, also praised Muto’s bravery, recalling his fearless reporting on wartime disappearances.
“He was a courageous journalist who always told the truth, even under dangerous circumstances,” Okumu noted.
Muto received the award alongside veteran journalist Sheila Kawamara Mihsambi, who reported on the 1990–1994 civil war and genocide in Rwanda for Ugandan audiences while working with New Vision.
An institutional award was also presented to the Media Challenge Initiative (MCI) for its contribution to media development, particularly in training young journalists.
Now aged 74, Muto is currently recovering after dislocating his Acetabular labrum in February 2025.
