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| ==Kidnapping in Congo DR== | | ==Kidnapping in Congo DR== |
| In 1998 in the outskirts of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Maureen and her TV crew were kidnapped by government soldiers, robbed and nearly raped. Victor, the cameraman, pleaded with the soldiers to let her go claiming that Maureen has a terrible disease that makes her shake and sweat all the time.<ref name="dailymail"/> | | In 1998 while working for SABC, she went to the outskirts of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to interview President Laurent Kabila at the height of the civil war following a rebellion in the east. Maureen and her TV crew catch on camera some of Kabila's security forces beating up innocent people, and this led to them being kidnapped by government soldiers, robbed and nearly raped. Victor, the cameraman, pleaded with the soldiers to let her go claiming that Maureen has a terrible disease that makes her shake and sweat all the time. They were then locked up in a dump dark cell littered with human faeces. <ref name="dailymail"/> |
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| Maureen Nkandu by the arm and tells her that he is ready to have a 'good time' with her. Miraculously, he backs down but minutes later they are locked up in a damp dark cell littered with human faeces.
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| "I was working for the SABC and had gone to interview Laurent Kabila at the height of the civil war following a rebellion in the east," Maureen recalls as we sit poolside at her Sunninghill residence. "We happened to catch on camera some of his security forces beating up innocent people which is what landed us in trouble." | |
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| That evening, the SABC reported on the evening news that its crew was missing in Kinshasa. Shortly after, the BBC picked up the story and before long, it became international news which led to their eventual release and repatriation. | | That evening, the SABC reported on the evening news that its crew was missing in Kinshasa. Shortly after, the BBC picked up the story and before long, it became international news which led to their eventual release and repatriation. |
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| She then decided it was time to hang up the notebook and microphone and took up a senior position at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as communications adviser for east and southern Africa, a role she served in until May 2012 when she joined the NEPAD Agency of the African Union as Head of Communications.
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| "I enjoy living in South Africa because it is a mixed basket of life. The diversity is amazing and a great lesson to the rest of the world on how so many different people can co-exist. The cosmopolitan place that Johannesburg is makes it a great city, although there are still a lot of challenges to overcome. I travel regularly to Zambia for work and to visit my family."
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| In spite of having interviewed many influential individuals including sitting African presidents, her hallmarks were when the stories she brought to the fore had resonance, when they had an impact on people's lives and the information that she reported helped them make better decisions. She believes this is still the case with her communications responsibilities at international organisations.
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| "I have been blessed all my life to achieve that which I set out for. That is God's great plan for me. Without mincing my words, I see myself in the highest office on the land, be it nationally in Zambia or in an international organisation. I am keen on servant leadership and not the prestige of these positions. I think I could really effect change, being an African woman who has travelled and lived around the world and has had first-hand experience in issues of poverty, under-development, human rights violations, prejudice, opulence and dictatorship. I believe I have a greater understanding of the fundamental issues to serve at the highest level of leadership."
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| ==Awards== | | ==Awards== |
