(JED/IFEX) – Minister of Communications Dominique Sakombi Inongo has replaced the management of four private radio and television stations which were recently put under state control. According to information received by JED and made public in the newspaper “Numerica”, (issue 263, dated Tuesday 3 October 2000), Victor Kasonga Mbunga Kalala Kafumba and Alphonse Mavungu Malanda […]
(JED/IFEX) – Minister of Communications Dominique Sakombi Inongo has replaced the management of four private radio and television stations which were recently put under state control.
According to information received by JED and made public in the newspaper “Numerica”, (issue 263, dated Tuesday 3 October 2000), Victor Kasonga Mbunga Kalala Kafumba and Alphonse Mavungu Malanda ma Mongo were appointed as managers of Télévision Kin Malebo and Radio Kin Malebo, respectively.
Pierre-Célestin Kabala Muana Mbuyi, the current commercial director of the public station RTNC (Radiotélévision nationale congolaise), has been handed the responsibility of drawing up a new programming schedule for these two press organs of the RTKM (Radio-Télévision Kin Malebo) group. Stéphane Kitutu O’leontwa was named manager of television stations Canal Kin 1 and Canal Kin 2.
All of these newly-appointed persons were former associates of Sakombi during his numerous terms of office as Ministry of Information head under successive governments of Marshal Mobutu.
The minister of communications justified his decision to put RTKM under governmental management by accusing the station of allegedly operating with materials which were purchased with public funds and misappropriated. Sakombi also alleges that RTKM owes money to the tax department.
The allegations have been denied by the owner of RTKM, Aubain Ngongo Luwowo (a journalist and former minister of information under the Mobutu regime who is currently in exile abroad).
Minister Sakombi has stated that Canal Kin 1 and Canal Kin 2 will remain under state control until the war raging in the Democratic Republic of Congo comes to an end. The stations are owned by the Bemba family. The father, Jean Bemba Saolona, was formerly a minister of the economy under Laurent-Désiré Kabila; the son, Jean-Pierre Bemba, leads the armed anti-Kabila rebel movement MLC (Movement for the Liberation of the Congo).
