DRC Presidential Guard Detains Nyota TV Journalist After Kolwezi Mining Erosion Report

Soldiers from the presidential guard arrested Stéphane Shisso on January 6 2026. The camera operator for Nyota TV was taken to Kimbembe military camp in Lubumbashi before being transferred to Kinshasa, 10 local journalists told the Committee to Protect Journalists on condition of anonymity.

Shisso and colleague Guelord Shamba had reported from Kolwezi, about 300 kilometers northwest of Lubumbashi, on damage from erosion caused by mining.

The video report, which included interviews with residents denouncing local authorities' failure to act, was broadcast on Nyota TV and Mbengu TV, both owned by opposition politician Moïse Katumbi. Kolwezi is a global center for mining cobalt, a mineral used in cell phones and electric car batteries.

As of 13 May 2026, Shisso has been detained since January 2026 without being brought before a court or having charges disclosed, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Local media reported in mid-April 2026 that Shisso was being held in Kinshasa's Ndolo military prison. Article 18 of the DRC constitution requires that anyone arrested must be immediately informed of the reasons, has the right to contact family or legal counsel, and cannot be held for more than 48 hours before release or transfer to judicial authority. Guelord Shamba is in hiding.

Three people close to Shamba said he went into hiding fearing attack or arrest, and the three people close to Shamba have not heard from him since late January 2026. Two people close to Shamba believed Shisso was arrested because of the duo's report from Kolwezi. Shisso and Shamba both recently lost their fathers and were unable to attend their funerals.

Government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya did not answer CPJ's calls requesting comment. "It is a grave injustice that DRC authorities have detained journalist Stéphane Shisso for more than four months, without bringing him before a court or disclosing charges against him," said CPJ Africa Director Angela Quintal.

The Committee to Protect Journalists called on authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to release Shisso and to ensure the safety of Shamba so that he can return home and reassure family and colleagues who have not heard from him since January.