Nominations Open for the 2015 OLX Social Media Awards

Social media enthusiasts now have a chance to nominate individuals and corporate organizations for this year’s OLX Social Media Awards (OLX SOMA) following the launch of the call for nominations on Tuesday June 30th 2015. The launch for the call for nominations took place at a colourful cocktail event that coincided with the Social Media Day and was attended by top social media gurus and celebrities in Nairobi.

The OLX SOMA, now in its third year, is a platform to celebrate the contribution of social media in the social, economic and political spheres of lives. The Awards recognize and reward individuals and organizations that have contributed to the growth of social media. The 2015 theme is Social Media and Economic Empowerment and the Awards ceremony will be held in September.

The nominations for the various categories can be entered at http://www.soma.or.ke/ by August 1^st, 2015. The nomination categories have been consolidated and new ones introduced to make the annual Awards more relevant and to reflect the tremendous growth in the social media scene. The new categories include Biz Yangu, which recognizes Below the Pyramid (BoP) businessmen and women who have made good use of social media for economic empowerment and Most Influential Student Leader, which honours a student who has used the platforms effectively for leadership.

Other categories are Social Network Award, Large Corporation, National and County Government, Traditional Media, Learning Institution, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), and Best of the Best.

Once the nominations are in, a panel of judges composed of men and women who have made illustrious contributions to the development of social media in the country will select the ones to undergo the voting process.

Speaking during the launch of the call for nominations, Digital Communications Director in the Office of the President, Mr. Dennis Itumbi, announced the Government will install WiFi in several countries to enhance public access to digital communication.

OLX SOMA director, Mr. Martin Muli, lauded efforts by social media players in enhancing economic development noting that if well funded, social media departments in public and private institutions can help alleviate unemployment, especially among the youth. OLX Country Manager, Mr. Peter Ndiangui, said the Awards will highlight the critical role social media can play in economic development.