Justice Sought by Lumumba Family Over Desecration of Limete Mausoleum: 17 January
On the 17th of January, the Lumumba family marks the 64th year since the assassination of the first Prime Minister of the DRC, Patrice Emery Lumumba, along with his colleagues Maurice Mpolo and Joseph Okito in Shilatembo, Grand-Katanga. This year, the family demands justice during the commemoration following the desecration of the national hero’s mausoleum.
Family Seeks Answers
Roland Lumumba, son of Patrice Lumumba, expressed to the Agence Congolaise de Presse (ACP) that the family, still affected by the desecration on November 18, 2024, awaits the results of the promised investigations by the government. “Until we obtain the conclusions from the investigations on this act, no public activities will be organized. A private mass will be celebrated at the family residence, as we are Christians,” he stated.
Government Response
The government, through Vice Prime Minister for Interior and Security Jacquemain Shabani, has announced the conclusion of pre-jurisdictional investigations. They have assured that all necessary measures have been implemented to secure and enhance the mausoleum to ensure the smooth progress of potential commemorations. Unknown individuals had broken the glass windows of the mausoleum erected at the Limete interchange, where the statue of Patrice Lumumba stands, with a raised hand symbolizing struggle and freedom.
Symbol of Independence
This space, representing independence and national unity, was established in June 2022 to house Patrice Lumumba’s relic: a tooth, the only remaining trace of his remains. Following a commemorative journey through various provinces of the country, Lumumba’s coffin was buried in Limete, on the avenue named after him. The act of vandalism, which shook public opinion and cultural actors, led to the arrest of six suspects, while two others remain at large. The investigation aims to clarify the circumstances of this incident and identify all those responsible.