2023-11-05 01:29:15
November 2, 2003 – November 2, 2023. The online newspaper “Congo Indépendant” has just reached 20 years of age. This media was created a few months after the installation of the Transitional government. This is the place to thank – once again – former Prime Minister Léon Kengo wa Dondo for his help which allowed us, at the time, to materialize this project. Michel Kazadi wa Tshamala was our first webmaster. He was the one who managed the entire newspaper.
Let’s open the parenthesis to tell an anecdote. In March 2007, “Michel”, the webmaster, went to Kinshasa. His stay coincides, unfortunately, with the armed confrontation between the personal guard of the Vice-President of the Republic, JP Bemba Gombo, and the “GR” (republican guard) of “Joseph Kabila”. The fighting took place from March 22 to 24. From the Memling hotel where he was staying, the technician was unable to reach a Cyber Café to put the articles and photos online. Surprised to see the same articles, a reader contacted the author of these lines who explained the cause. Reaction from said reader: “So, Congo Indépendant is not just that independent? ». Let’s close the parenthesis. This is how our team members started learning how to manage the webjournal administration page.
After Michel Kazadi, the newspaper was “revamped” by Bobo Makunda Sefekese. It is currently run by Jean-Jacques Beyne Biduaya. May they find here the expression of our gratitude for the journey taken together. Same, for our economic columnist Gaston Mutamba Lukusa. A little history.
After the so-called “liberation” of May 17, 1997, the disillusionment was total. Two weeks later, we could read: “Dictatorial drift! »; « Kabila [Laurent-Désiré] sold the Congo! » protesters chanted. Several citizens died under the lashes of the famous “Kadogos”. « Tumbu yulu! »these little soldiers shouted at their victim.
The breakdown of “military cooperation” with Rwanda and Uganda brought short-lived relief with the emergence of the pro-Rwandan RCD rebellion. Jean-Pierre Bemba’s MLC will see the light of day a few months later.
Unlike the RCD fighters, made up of a majority of Rwandans, those of Bemba were local children with Ugandan supervision. “(…) Rwanda failed to take into account a fundamental fact, the support of the Congolese people. This error will turn out to be dramatic (…)”, wrote the president of the MLC in his book “The choice of freedom” published by Vénus editions, in Gbadolite.
After the Lusaka ceasefire agreement in July 1999 and the work of the inter-Congolese dialogue in Sun City in 2002, three words kept coming back: new political order. A political order different from that of Mobutu Sese Seko and “Papa Kabila”. A political order based on individual freedoms, democracy and respect for human rights. LD Kabila died in mysterious circumstances on January 16, 2001. The Luba notables of Katanga and Paul Kagame’s Rwanda “signed” a secret power-sharing agreement by installing an illustrious unknown, with a “charadic” past, at the top of the State.
By launching the online newspaper “Congo Indépendant” on November 2, 2003, the author of these lines and a few friends had the weakness to believe that they were going to witness, despite everything, the emergence of a new Congo where it is good life for all. “We can only create democracy with democrats”, they say. Mze’s successor was not one.
Our newspaper resolved to return to the fundamentals of journalism. Namely, playing the counter-power card to the fullest with the mission of flushing out the dysfunctions which affect the three powers of the State. It is about reporting facts and opinions without confusing criticism and denigration. All criticism is legitimate because it is based on arguments. Disparagement, on the other hand, refers to backbiting, defamation and slander.
For twenty years, “Congo Indépendant” refused – without boasting – to embrace collusion journalism. These are these articles priced to give a boost to one politician or another. He also refused to confuse the profession of journalist with that of propagandist.
In the DRC, the majority of press outlets are “food” hence the word “coupage” or “transport costs” given to the journalist after covering an event. This was without taking into account the fact that money is needed – the crux of the matter – to enable the media to become healthy. This editorial line will be exacerbated with the abuses of the “Kabila system”. A Kabilophile had described our publication as “primary anti-Kabilist”.
The advent to power of Felix Tshisekedi did not make us jump for joy during the first year of the famous FCC-Cach coalition. We had to wait until December 6, 2020 to applaud the break between the allies. Unfortunately, the expected change is slow to appear on the horizon. The fact remains that “Fatshi” deserves a second mandate to complete the dismantling of the Rwandan networks that infiltrated Congolese institutions. And this both at the national and provincial level. “Felix” is one of the rare Congolese politicians who owes nothing to Paul Kagame and his mafia clique. It is the same for JP Bemba with whom they form a “shock duo” capable of restoring respectability to the DRC and above all giving back the potentate of Kigali.
Unlike some readers of Congo Indépendant, our media has not changed. There remains a counter-power. The editor-in-chief of the Journal simply put a little water in his “Coke”. Without becoming complacent. Felix Tshisekedi Tshilombo undoubtedly made mistakes. There remains a “Mwana mboka” that must be helped to improve its governance and the choice of its collaborators.
Happy birthday to Independent Congo!
Baudouin Amba Wetshi
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