(Ecofin Agency) - “The transmitter of Owoto radio is mine”, MP Christophe Lutundula declared again on the air of Radio Okapi, on 2^nd October 2015. Still on the same radio, the MP said that “Owoto radio is not a government endowment”. He has not stopped countering the Congolese authorities according to whom the Congolese government is the proprietor of the equipment of radio Owoto. The minister of Communication, Lambert Mende, also spokesperson for the government, even said that this radio belonged to the presidential majority.

The problems of this media follow that of MP Christophe Lutundula who was dropped from the presidential majority. He is part of G7, the group which addressed a letter to the president of the republic, Joseph Kabila, requesting the respect of the constitution according to which he cannot seek another presidential term during the 2016 election.

The polemic started on the day following the closure of Owoto radio which was broadcasting from katako Kombe in the new province of Sankuru. That was on 17^th September 2015. Security forces dismantled the equipment of the radio which they brought back to Lodja. No official explanation has been offered up to now, but the administrator of Katako Kombe indicated that the hierarchy had ordered the recovery of the equipment which is the endowment of the central government. Moreover, Minister Lambert Mende accused Owoto radio of broadcasting ethnic hate comments which led to deadly clashes.

“What the minister is saying is absolutely untrue and could not be further from the truth”, Christophe Lutundula said. The MP also indicated that the government never financed his election campaign, even though he acknowledged receiving a 100-watt transmitter. “I had already purchased my 500-watt equipment in 2009. I no longer needed this small transmitter which by the way was already out of service”, he clarified. Christophe Lutundula further said that he presented to the minister of Interior proof that he is the owner of the equipment of radio Owoto.