Kinshasa (AFP)
Eight songs of the king of Congolese music Koffi Olomide have been censored in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a decision denounced by the artist who asks the authorities to fight against "abuse of power", Friday in an interview with AFP.
The ban covers "eight video clips" depicting "unauthorized songs" by Koffi Olomide, according to an official document.
They are banned from "broadcast" and "public presentation," says a letter from a "National Committee of Censorship of Songs and Shows" addressed to television channels and radio stations.
This commission accuses the artist of not having responded to his "invitations", in this letter dated September 13, that AFP has authenticated to the services of the Ministry of Justice.
"This attitude shows a lack of consideration and civility on the part of the artist who appears to be recidivist in this kind of behavior," according to the text.
"The Congo does not deserve a censorship commission," commented the most famous Congolese musician in the world since the death of Papa Wemba in 2016.
"I am not proud of that as Congolese, and artistic censorship was instituted by the regime of late President Mobutu" Sese Seko, he said while receiving AFP at his home in Kinshasa.
"But today we are in a democracy," he added, appealing to the new head of state, Felix Tshisekedi, who was invested last January after the first peaceful transition of power in the troubled history of the country.
"He has to look at it a little bit, there is too much abuse of power, we are a major people," said Koffi Olomide, whose real name is Christophe Antoine Agbepa Mumba.
Koffi Olomide also announced his return to France in early 2020 for a concert at La Défense Arena, near Paris, at a date to be defined.
In March, Koffi Olomide was sentenced by the criminal court of Nanterre (west of Paris) to two years in prison suspended for "sexual abuse on minor 15 years." The prosecution had appealed this conditional sentence.
© 2019 AFP