Kinshasa, September 15th, 2025 (CPA) – The winners of the first edition of the ‘Mwinda Awards’ (Trophy of Light) for excellence were revealed during a gala evening held on Sunday night at the cultural centre in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. At the end of the evening, the initiator of the Mwinda Awards, Jonathan Bilari, expressed his satisfaction with the overall course of the evening, stating that: « All’s well that ends well. The ceremony went exactly as we wanted it to. The aim is to reward the achievements of Congolese people who excel in their respective fields. Around twenty people were honoured here tonight. I would like to congratulate the members of the jury, who were rigorous and demanding in their selection, and also the public who voted for their nominees. » ‘It is not easy to gain recognition in one’s own community. But I think you saw the excitement in the room. Congratulations to those who distinguished themselves and won awards. See you on June 30th, 2026 for the second edition,’ he has said.
This award, which consists of reinventing the celebration of local and continental talent through its pan-African philosophy and holistic vision of excellence, was won in particular by Yolande Elebe Ma Ndembo Mwinda in the ‘Vision and Heritage’ category, Barbara Kanam in the ‘Mwinda Female Leadership’ category, and Lokua Kanza in the ‘Mwinda Historical Legend’ category. Created in 2025, the ‘Mwinda Awards’ trophy rewards and celebrates excellence in the arts, socio-economic initiatives, politics and humanitarian work in DRC and Africa. The selection of nominees is based on rigorous criteria that highlight impact, authenticity and innovation.