Pearl Bank claimed four top honours at the 10th PRAU Excellence Awards in Jinja, as judges urged communication professionals to demonstrate measurable impact and build public trust.
Pearl Bank stole the spotlight at the 10th Public Relations Association of Uganda (PRAU) Excellence Awards, winning four accolades as the professional body marked five decades of public relations practice in Uganda.
The bank won the Corporate Storytellers, Media Relations Gold Standard, Impact Beyond Profit and PR Crown Jewel awards, the latter recognising the best overall campaign.
The gala was held at Source of the Nile Hotel in Jinja on Friday, October 23, 2026, under the theme “A Legacy in Gold: Honouring the Cream of Public Relations.”
Other gold award winners included Brainchild Burson, named PR Powerhouse of the Year; Lynn Nansirumbi, who won PR Rising Star; Uganda Breweries Limited, which took Policy and Persuasion; and TotalEnergies EP Uganda, winner of Culture Champions.
Airtel Uganda won Reputation Champions, the Electricity Regulatory Authority received Event Maestros, Uganda Red Cross Society took Heart and Purpose, while Crown Beverages Limited won Viral Gold.
Among the runners-up were Stanbic Bank, Pearl Bank, NCBA Bank and TotalEnergies EP Uganda in the Corporate Storytellers, Culture Champions, Event Maestros and Impact Beyond Profit categories, respectively. Node Group Consult was second in PR Powerhouse, Whitney Najjuka in PR Rising Star, the Electricity Regulatory Authority in Policy and Persuasion, and Node Consult in Viral Gold.
PRAU President Irene Nakasiita used the golden jubilee to honour the association’s founder, the late James R. Mutabaazi, who established it in 1976. His son, Dr Daniel Ruhweza, represented him at the celebrations.
Nakasiita said retaining immediate past presidents on the Governing Council helps preserve institutional memory. She also thanked the sponsors, journalists, judges and organising committee, noting that PricewaterhouseCoopers validated the awards process after entries were assessed against established criteria.
Guest of honour Owek. Alhaji Osman Noor Ahmed, the Second Deputy Prime Minister of Busoga Kingdom, urged practitioners to make trust, rather than publicity, the central measure of effective communication.
He called on organisations to uphold truth, accuracy, transparency and accountability, including acknowledging mistakes and responding openly to public concerns. He also encouraged practitioners to use social media, artificial intelligence and data analytics responsibly while protecting privacy and professional integrity.
The judging panel also challenged the industry to improve how it measures campaign results. Lead judge Dr Patricia Litho, Assistant Commissioner for Communication and Information Management at the Ministry of Energy and Rural Development, said more than 44 entries were assessed.
Although the entries showed creativity, she said some lacked adequate research, evaluation and evidence of measurable impact. Media coverage, event attendance and online impressions alone, she cautioned, do not prove that a campaign has changed public understanding or behaviour.
Litho called for stronger research, baseline measurements and verifiable evidence, warning against using Advertising Value Equivalency as the sole measure of public relations effectiveness. She also recommended clearer eligibility rules and stronger conflict-of-interest safeguards. No entry was received in the Emerging Talent category.
The anniversary programme included visits to Bujagali Hydropower Plant, which has an installed capacity of 250 megawatts, and Kiira Motors Corporation, where members observed electric bus assembly.
PRAU also launched an Ipsos Uganda publication, The State of the PR Profession in Uganda: A Desk Research-Based Point of View.
Established on May 22, 1976, PRAU represents public relations practitioners and communication specialists in Uganda. It is affiliated with the East African Public Relations Association, the African Public Relations Association and the International Public Relations Association.