Pearl Bank secured four awards at the 10th Public Relations Association of Uganda (PRAU) Excellence Awards ceremony held at Source of the Nile Hotel in Jinja on October 23, 2026. The bank won the Corporate Storytellers, Media Relations Gold Standard, Impact Beyond Profit and PR Crown Jewel awards, with the latter recognising the best overall campaign in the competition. The event marked five decades of public relations practice in Uganda under the theme "A Legacy in Gold: Honouring the Cream of Public Relations."
The ceremony recognised achievements across multiple sectors. Brainchild Burson was named PR Powerhouse of the Year, while Lynn Nansirumbi won the PR Rising Star award. Uganda Breweries Limited took the Policy and Persuasion gold award, and TotalEnergies EP Uganda won Culture Champions. Other gold award winners included Airtel Uganda for Reputation Champions, the Electricity Regulatory Authority for Event Maestros, Uganda Red Cross Society for Heart and Purpose, and Crown Beverages Limited for Viral Gold. Several organisations finished as runners-up in their respective categories, including Stanbic Bank, NCBA Bank and TotalEnergies EP Uganda.
The golden jubilee celebration honoured the association's founder, the late James R. Mutabaazi, who established PRAU on May 22, 1976. His son, Dr Daniel Ruhweza, represented him at the event. PRAU President Irene Nakasiita said retaining immediate past presidents on the Governing Council helps preserve institutional memory. 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 Busoka Kingdom, urged practitioners to prioritise trust over publicity and to uphold truth, accuracy, transparency and accountability in their work. He encouraged practitioners to use social media, artificial intelligence and data analytics responsibly while protecting privacy and professional integrity. 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 but noted some lacked adequate research, evaluation and evidence of measurable impact. She called for stronger research and baseline measurements, warning against using Advertising Value Equivalency as the sole measure of public relations effectiveness.
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 titled The State of the PR Profession in Uganda: A Desk Research-Based Point of View. Established in 1976, PRAU represents public relations practitioners and communication specialists in Uganda and is affiliated with the East African Public Relations Association, the African Public Relations Association and the International Public Relations Association.