The new Steering Committee of the National Union of the Press of Congo (UNPC) was received on Thursday, October 17 by the President of the Constitutional Court and President of the High Council of the Judiciary (CSM), Dieudonné Kamuleta Badibanga, in his office. The discussions focused on the presentation of this new team led by Baudouin Kamanda wa Kamanda, as well as on the establishment of a collaboration bridge between the Constitutional Court, the various jurisdictions and the UNPC.

"We discussed several points. We started with the presentation of the newly elected team. We discussed a number of current issues, including the continuing training of journalists. It is important to have journalists capable of dealing with legal issues with greater efficiency and precision, especially since these are delicate issues. Both parties will put in place the necessary means to make this partnership effective," said Jasbey Zegbia, Secretary General of the UNPC, at the end of the meeting.

Beyond the training sessions aimed at strengthening the capacities of journalists on the coverage of judicial subjects, the self-regulatory body of journalists plans to collaborate to ensure regular upgrading of the members of the UNPC Peers Tribunal.

"The President of the Constitutional Court, who is also the President of the High Council of the Judiciary (CSM), could guide us so that these trainings are well structured. Within the UNPC, we have a Court of Peers. This Court must benefit from refresher training, and only the President of the CSM could tell us with which chamber of this institution we could organize these trainings," added the Secretary General of the UNPC.

Regarding the beneficiaries of this new collaboration, Jasbey Zegbia recalled that it is necessary to respect the limits of press freedom. Those who are not professional journalists will be regulated by the digital law.

"During the handover ceremony between the old and new administrations of the UNPC, the president made a strong statement, which you certainly followed. This statement is linked to the ordinance law 023/009 establishing the terms of exercising freedom of the press. In section 3, article 3, point 11, it is clearly defined who is a professional journalist. These are the colleagues who are part of the UNPC. Those who publish content without being journalists will be governed by the digital law," he said.

The 10th ordinary congress of the UNPC, opened on Tuesday, September 17, took place under the theme: "Renaissance, together we shape the future of our profession". Nearly 200 congress participants from 25 provinces, as well as the city of Kinshasa, participated in this congress, whose work was opened by the Minister of Communication and Media.

Baudouin Kamanda wa Kamanda, a former RFI journalist, was elected president of the UNPC. Cyrille Kileba, founding editor of the weekly The Post, was elected vice-president, and Marianne Mujing Yav Muland, second vice-president. Jasbey Zegbia was reappointed as Secretary General, with Ernest Mukuli Kasongo as his deputy. Rachel Kitsita, founder of the press group Actu 30, was elected treasurer, and Gino Rhema, of Radio Top Congo, was elected advisor.