Kinshasa, November 24, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to ensure the safety of Michael Tenende, who was threatened with arrest by a mayor after his reporting criticized her governance — the second time Anne-Marie Tshiabu has made such threats against a journalist.
“Kabinda mayor Anne-Marie Tshiabu’s repeated threats to have journalist Michael Tenende arrested are an alarming echo of similar threats she made last year against another reporter,” said CPJ Africa Director Angela Quintal. “Public officials in the DRC should support journalists in reporting on issues of public interest, not intimidate them.”
On October 29, Tshiabu, mayor of Kabinda city in central Lomami province, phoned Tenende three times and sent him six messages threatening to have him arrested over his Victoirerdc.net report alleging that her official residence was unsanitary and a threat to public health, the reporter told CPJ. In her messages, reviewed by CPJ, Tshiabu insulted Tenende’s family and accused him of publishing “false information,” without evidence.
On November 12, Tshiabu again called and threatened to have Tenende arrested after he reported on the evacuation of roadside vendors for the privately owned news sites Afrik-Info.CD and Victoirerdc.net, according to Tenende and a National Press Union of Congo (UNPC) official, who spoke to CPJ on condition of anonymity, citing fear of reprisal.
Last year, Tshiabu threatened Radio Tokomi Wapi reporter Martin Kasongo, while another local official forcibly entered the studio of privately owned Top Lomami radio station and stopped Tenende’s broadcast.
Tshiabu told CPJ via messaging app that Tenende had been working with unnamed politicians “spreading falsehoods, publishing unverified news against local authorities, even inciting the population to evade taxes.”
“His file is already with the ANR [DRC’s National Intelligence Agency], and he knows very well that he will be arrested for slandering local authorities. This is a security issue,” she said.