Big win for DRC press freedom

“The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), our country, is in the spotlight tonight but this time it is not for the usual ills that often thrust it into the headlines of the international press,” said Léonard Mulamba, Editor and Chief of Radio Okapi. Beaming with pride, Mulamba made these remarks Saturday as he accepted the International Press Institutes’ Free Media Pioneer award on behalf of Radio Okapi, an independent radio station located in Kinshasa, DRC. 

“We feel a great sense of joy,” he added.

The award was presented by Johannes Hahn, European Commissioner for Regional Policy, on behalf of the International Press Institute (IPI), one of the oldest international press freedom organisations, at the opening ceremony of the IPI World Congress in Vienna, Austria. The award created in 1996 was given out in recognition of the radio’s continued efforts to uphold press independence , objectivity and for its contributions to democracy despite difficult  and sometimes dangerous situations.         

“I’m really proud that we chose Radio Okapi as the winner of this award. Under really horrible conditions they have continued to produce world class news,” says Interim Director of IPI Alison Bethel Mckenzie.

“One colleague was murdered, others have been attacked and several threats have been made against the station,” she explains. 

The Radio launched on February 25, 2002. It’s a joint project between the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) and the Hirondelle Foundation.

Staffed by 80 reporters, its mission is to broadcast scrupulous, non partisan, credible information throughout the country in French , Lingala, Swahili, Chiluba and Kikongo. The station boasts over 23 million listeners, a third of the population. A major part of those listeners live in remote rural regions of the country.

IPI calls the stations ability to bring news from the capital to people in remote communities “a major accomplishment.”

Bethel Mckenzie, “hopes that the win will bring Radio Okapi greater international attention so that it can attract more funding to continue its good work.”