Modeste Mutinga Mutuishayi, commonly known as Modeste Mutinga, is a journalist and senator

Senate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Senate is the upper house of the Parliament of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.During the transition period in the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Senate, aside from its Legislative role, also had the task of drafting the country's new constitution...

 of the Democratic Republic of Congo. He is the publisher of Le Potentiel

Le Potentiel

Le Potentiel is a Democratic Republic of the Congo daily newspaper published by award-winning journalist Modeste Mutinga. The Committee to Protect Journalists described it as "the only independent daily newspaper in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo"...

, which The Commmittee to Protect Journalists described as "the only independent daily newspaper in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo". According to Mutinga, the paper has "an agenda" of promoting economic development and democracy.

Mutinga has been threatened, arrested, and jailed multiple times on charges related to his reporting. In 1992, during the Mobutu Sese Seko

Mobutu Sese Seko

Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga , commonly known as Mobutu or Mobutu Sese Seko , born Joseph-Désiré Mobutu, was the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1965 to 1997...

 era, the Le Potentiel offices were bombed. In 1998, he was arrested by authorities following an article covering the house arrest of opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi

Étienne Tshisekedi

Étienne Tshisekedi wa Mulumba is a lawyer, politician, and leader of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress which is a political party in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He was Prime Minister of the country on three brief occasions: in 1991, 1992–1993, and 1997...

. In January 2000, he was assaulted in New York City by the advisors of DRC President Laurent-Désiré Kabila

Laurent-Désiré Kabila

Laurent-Désiré Kabila was President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from May 17, 1997, when he overthrew Mobutu Sese Seko, until his assassination by his bodyguards on January 18, 2001...

 while covering a meeting of the United Nations Security Council

United Nations Security Council

The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...

.

In 2000, he was awarded the International Press Freedom Award

CPJ International Press Freedom Awards

The CPJ International Press Freedom Awards honour journalists around the world who show courage in defending press freedom in the face of attacks, threats or imprisonment. Created in 1991, the awards are administered by the Committee to Protect Journalists....

 of the Committee to Protect Journalists. The award citation described him as "a relentless advocate for human rights" and "an inspiration to journalists throughout Africa who continue to fight against tremendous odds for freedom of expression and better governance".

Political career

From 2003 to 2006, Mutinga served as High Authority of the Media in the Transitional Government

Transitional Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Transitional Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo was tasked with moving from the state riven by the Second Congo War to a government based upon a constitution agreed on by consensus. In 2001 President Laurent Kabila was assassinated and his son Joseph Kabila was named head of state...

 that followed the Pretoria Accord

Pretoria Accord

The Pretoria Accord was a July 2002 agreement made between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in an effort to bring about an end to the Second Congo War...

 ending the Second Congo War

Second Congo War

The Second Congo War, also known as Coltan War and the Great War of Africa, began in August 1998 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo , and officially ended in July 2003 when the Transitional Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo took power; however, hostilities continue to this...

.

He now serves as a senator

Senate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Senate is the upper house of the Parliament of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.During the transition period in the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Senate, aside from its Legislative role, also had the task of drafting the country's new constitution...

 in the nation's parliament

Parliament of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Parliament of the Democratic Republic of the Congo consists of two chambers:*The Senate *The National Assembly -External links:*...

 as a member of the Alliance of the Presidential Majority

Alliance of the Presidential Majority

The Alliance of the Presidential Majority is a political alliance formed by supporters of President-elect Joseph Kabila following the 2006 general elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This bloc currently holds the majority of seats in the National Assembly with 332 out of 500...

, the party backing current president Joseph Kabila

Joseph Kabila

Joseph Kabila Kabange is a Congolese politician who has been President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo since January 2001. He took office ten days after the assassination of his father, President Laurent-Désiré Kabila...

. In March 2010, he introduced legislation to attempt to regulate the "confusion" followed by the end of the Voice of Zaire's media monopoly.