DR Congo bans media from covering former president Kabila, allies
According to CSAC Chief Christian Bosembe, media houses that fail to adhere to the directive will have their operations suspended entirely.
The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has barred media houses from covering the activities of former President Joseph Kabila, who recently returned to the country after a self-imposed exile in South Africa.
The BBC reports that the DRC's Supreme Council of Audiovisual and Communication (CSAC) issued the order, which also extends to Kabila's allies, noting that no print, broadcast or digital platforms should cover their activities.
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According to CSAC Chief Christian Bosembe, media houses that fail to adhere to the directive will have their operations suspended entirely.
Reports indicate that Kabila's party, the People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD), has since condemned the government's media ban, calling it "arbitrary."
Meanwhile, the M23 rebel group has also dismissed the ban, stating that media outlets operating in territories under their control would not comply with the directive.
Kabila, who came to power in 2001 after his father's assassination, clung to office following DR Congo's disputed 2018 election for almost two years through an awkward power-sharing deal with Tshisekedi. Tshisekdi cut him out at the end of 2020 by chipping away at his influence and accusing him of blocking reforms.
Congolese authorities have accused Kabila of supporting the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group, which controls parts of eastern Congo, a claim he has denied.
Reports indicate that Kabila travelled through Kigali, Rwanda, before reaching Goma
In late May, Kabila made a recent appearance in Goma, an M23-held city, sparking renewed scrutiny from the DRC's ruling regime.
In the same month, Congo's Senate voted to strip him of immunity, opening the door for possible prosecution. Justice Minister Constant Mutamba said that a prosecutor is now investigating Kabila for treason, war crimes, crimes against humanity and involvement in an insurrection.
Although he has not been formally charged, Kabila has strongly criticised President Tshisekedi's government, calling it a "dictatorship," and maintains that he wants to contribute to peace in the country.
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