Justice Demanded for Adonis Numbi, Journalist Killed by Machete-Wielding Bandits
In the city of Lubumbashi, the capital of the Haut-Katanga province, journalists rallied together following the tragic news of Patrick Adonis Numbi Banze’s murder by machete-wielding bandits on Tuesday night. Numbi, a journalist and the director of Pamoja Canal TV, was brutally attacked by armed assailants as he made his way home in the Upemba neighborhood after work.
Spontaneous Journalist Mobilization
On Wednesday, the journalists, members of the Union Nationale de la Presse du Congo (UNPC) in Haut-Katanga, took to the streets in a spontaneous march. They aimed to deliver a memorandum to the provincial assembly and the governor’s office, but were met with refusal. Marianne Mujng Yav, the UNPC’s national vice president, expressed her outrage at the escalating insecurity in Lubumbashi and the officials’ indifference to the journalists’ demands.
“We are angry and indignant. The press of Grand Katanga has lost Patrick Adonis Numbi, brutally murdered by a machete. It is disappointing to see that the governor, who claims to be a friend of the press, refused to receive our memorandum. We reject any official assistance for our colleague’s funeral,” she declared outside the governor’s office in Haut-Katanga.
Call for Justice
The march, starting at the Lubumbashi press club and passing by the provincial assembly, culminated at the governor’s building. Banners demanding “justice for Patrick Adonis” and decrying the ongoing violence adorned the procession. Numbi’s body currently rests at the Upemba neighborhood morgue.
In a grim reminder of the dangers faced by journalists, Jemimah Mogwo Mambasa, a journalist at Radiotélévision Nationale Congolaise (RTNC), fell victim to criminals in Kinshasa in November 2024. Mambasa was assaulted and later succumbed to her injuries at the Cinquantenaire Hospital in Kinshasa. This incident underscores the broader issue of insecurity affecting not only journalists but also the wider population, plagued by delinquents known as Kulunas.
The tragic fate of Patrick Adonis Numbi in Lubumbashi echoes the urgent need for justice and safety in the region. It is a stark reminder of the risks journalists face in pursuit of their profession and the pressing need for security measures to protect them. As the community mourns the loss of Numbi and other fallen journalists, the call for justice grows louder, demanding accountability and action to prevent further tragedies.
Let us remember the sacrifices made by journalists like Patrick Adonis Numbi and Jemimah Mogwo Mambasa, who dedicated their lives to shedding light on important issues and amplifying voices that need to be heard. Their legacy lives on in the pursuit of truth and justice, inspiring us all to stand up against violence and demand a safer world for those who seek to inform and educate.