Patrice Lumumba (1925-1961)
Today, the 17th
of January 2014, marks the 53rd year Patrice Lumumba, the first Prime Minister
of Belgian Congo (now Democratic Republic of Congo), was assassinated by his enemies.
He was killed on the 17th of January 1961, just seven months after
his country gained independence from Belgium. Lumumba was instrumental to the
attainment of freedom by Congo in 1960 and this piece is a eulogy to this great
Congolese, whose charisma, intelligence, visionary leadership, values, passion
for freedom, heroics and love for a prosperous Africa have inspired people like
me to be a better African who is proud of his roots.
Several years
ago, I was idling in the living room, fiddling with the TV remote control as I
flipped through channels in search of any program that can serve as a panacea
to the boredom that I was afflicted with at that moment. Luckily, I stumbled
upon a historic movie that was entitled ‘Lumumba’
and for some inexplicable reasons (perhaps the weirdness of the name), my eyes
were glued to the screen and I watched without blinking. The movie plot was a
true-life story about this African leader that fanatically and fearlessly
fought for his country’s independence but was later betrayed by some of his own people. They connived with Western forces and killed him in a gruesome manner.
His story moved me to tears and my entire body went cold as if the room got
besieged by winter. Even long after the movie ended, I can still remember
vividly how I sat alone in silence with my teary face and a pang of anger. The
cause of this reaction could be attributed to what I had just seen on TV and
the truth this motion picture uncovered- the brutality that was meted out at
Lumumba and his people is a reflection of the cruelty that many Africans across
the continent encountered in the hands of the colonial masters. This led me
into a thorough research about this man and my findings precipitated my
admiration and respect for this African leader.
Patrice Lumumba
was born on the 2nd of July 1925 in the town of Katakokombe, Kasai
Province in Belgian Congo. He was fortunate to have been born after the King
Leopold II era (King Leopold was a terror Belgian monarch that massacred over 10 million Congolese
during his reign). Lumumba trained as a salesman and later became one of
the pioneer members of MNC (Movement de National Congolais). Unlike other
political parties in Congo at that time, MNC’s ideology was centered on
ensuring a national government that promotes equality, unity and freedom for
all. This ideology was strongly influenced by Lumumba’s Pan-Africanist beliefs and his vision for a great and united Congo.
Shortly after he
attended the Pan-African Conference in Accra, Ghana, where he met the great
Pan-Africanist, Kwame Nkrumah, Lumumba was arrested and jailed for playing a
major role in the anti-colonial riot that was staged in Stanleyville. Despite
being imprisoned, the push and agitation for independence continued and this
resilience forced Belgium into submission. A round table discussion was held in
Brussels to finalize Congo’s path to freedom and Lumumba was released prior to
this meeting to represent the interest of his people. On the 30th of
June 1960, Congo became a free nation and Lumumba was elected the first Prime
Minister while Joseph Kasavubu became the President under a Parliamentary
system of government. On this particular day, a 35 year old Lumumba stood in front of the
Belgian monarch, King Baudouin and the rest of the world, and delivered a memorable
speech that exposed the iniquities of colonial rule in Congo and extoled the
triumph of Congo as an emblem of Africa’s liberation from imperialism. This
speech till today remains one of the most powerful speeches ever rendered by an
African leader. Excerpts from the speech:
“For this
independence of the Congo, even as it is celebrated today with Belgium, a
friendly country with whom we deal as equal to equal, no Congolese worthy of
the name will ever be able to forget that is was by fighting that it has been
won [applause], a day-to-day fight, an ardent and idealistic fight, a fight in
which we were spared neither privation nor suffering, and for which we gave our
strength and our blood.
We are proud
of this struggle, of tears, of fire, and of blood, to the depths of our being,
for it was a noble and just struggle, and indispensable to put an end to the
humiliating slavery which was imposed upon us by force.
This was our fate for 80 years of a colonial regime; our wounds are too fresh and too painful still for us to drive them from our memory. We have known harassing work, exacted in exchange for salaries which did not permit us to eat enough to drive away hunger, or to clothe ourselves, or to house ourselves decently, or to raise our children as creatures dear to us.
We have known ironies, insults, blows that we endured morning, noon and evening, because we are Negroes. Who will forget that to a Black one said “tu”, certainly not as to a friend, but because the more honorable “vous” was reserved for whites alone?
We have seen our lands seized in the name of allegedly legal laws, which in fact recognized only that might is right. We have seen that the law was not the same for a white and for a Black – accommodating for the first, cruel and inhuman for the other.
We have witnessed atrocious sufferings of those condemned for their political opinions or religious beliefs, exiled in their own country, their fate truly worse than death itself.
We have seen that in the towns there were magnificent houses for the whites and crumbling shanties for the Blacks; that a Black was not admitted in the motion-picture houses, in the restaurants, in the stores of the Europeans; that a Black traveled in the holds, at the feet of the whites in their luxury cabins.
Who will ever
forget the massacres where so many of our brothers perished, the cells into
which those who refused to submit to a regime of oppression and exploitation
were thrown”
Lumumba instantly became an
enemy of Belgium and other imperialist governments (the US and Britain) after
this fateful day. His anti-imperialist stance and Pan-Africanist views made him
a target and the events that occurred after independence later shaped his
destiny and that of Congo.
The province of
Katanga was a region in the south of Congo known for its richness in mineral
resources. The Belgians were aware of the enormous wealth in Congo and in order
to maintain their access to the country’s vast mineral resources, they decided
to instigate a plan: bribe selfish Congolese politicians, cause political
unrest, divide the country, eliminate an anti-imperialist Lumumba and install a pro-Western government. Backed by Western powers, Moise Tshombe (the Premier of Katanga)
declared the independence of Katanga from Congo and the rebellion subsequently
led to instability and a total break down of law and order in the country.
Lumumba sought the assistance of the UN to save his country from a civil war
and avert a disunited Congo but none was forthcoming; it later dawned on him that there was a
conspiracy to undermine his government. Left with no other choice, he turned to
the Russian government for help and as a result, his enemies labeled him a
communist-sympathizer. This move also exacerbated the tension between Lumumba
and Kasavubu (the President); consequently, a power tussle between the two men
ensued and Congo was embroiled in a major political crisis just few months
after independence….as planned by the imperialists.
Later that year
(1960), Joseph Mobutu (Mobutu Sese Seko), who was Lumumba’s friend and personal
aide during the independence struggle, staged a coup d’état that was largely
sponsored by Belgium and United States and became the country’s military ruler.
Mobutu immediately placed Lumumba under house arrest and incapacitated
Kasavubu’s government. In an effort to form another government in Stanleyville,
Lumumba escaped from house arrest along with two ministers but was later
captured by Mobutu’s forces. He was beaten and tortured in front of his wife
and children and never saw them again till his death. He was tied with ropes
and flown to Katanga, where his enemies dwelled.
Belgian forces
and Katangan soldiers beat and spat at Lumumba and made him swallow a paper
that contained his famous independence speech. While in captivity, he managed to
write a letter to his wife, in which he enjoined her to pray for Congo and tell
their children he died fighting for their future. He gave an account of his
ordeal in the hands of his enemies and proclaimed that Africa will one day be
free from oppression, imperialism and Western domination. Excerpts from his
last letter:
“We are not
alone. Africa, Asia and the free liberated people from all corners of the world
will always be found at the side of the millions of Congolese who will not
abandon the struggle until the day when there are no longer any colonialists
and their mercenaries in our country. As to my children whom I leave and whom I
may never see again, I should like them to be told that it is for them, as it
is for every Congolese, to accomplish the sacred task of reconstructing our
independence and our sovereignty: for without dignity there is no liberty,
without justice there is no dignity, and without independence there are no free
men.
Neither brutality, nor cruelty nor torture will ever bring me to ask for mercy, for I prefer to die with my head unbowed, my faith unshakable and with profound trust in the destiny of my country, rather than live under subjection and disregarding sacred principles. History will one day have its say, but it will not be the history that is taught in Brussels, Paris, Washington or in the United Nations, but the history which will be taught in the countries freed from imperialism and its puppets. Africa will write its own history, and to the north and south of the Sahara, it will be a glorious and dignified history.”
On the 17th
of January 1961, Patrice Lumumba was assassinated by a firing squad made up of
Belgian and Katangan soldiers. He was tied to a tree in the presence of Moise
Tshombe and some Belgian officers, and killed alongside his two loyal ministers. His
body was then hacked into pieces and disposed off. Violent protests occurred in
several parts of Africa, Europe and even New York City after his death was
announced. Evidence of US, British and Belgian involvement in Lumumba’s
assassination just surfaced few years ago. The documents revealed how the CIA, under David Eisenhower's administration and John F Kennedy's regime, plotted to kill Lumumba at all cost.
They conspired with Belgium and Britain's M16, and bribed the likes of Tshombe, Kasavubu and Mobutu to carry out this heinous act. Congo's resources were abundant enough at that time to feed the whole of Africa and these alien forces wanted to keep exploiting them even if it's at the expense of peace and unity in the land.
Karma is truly a
female dog…
Congo never had
another Prime Minister for over 40 years after Lumumba was killed. Mobutu Sese
Seko ruled arbitrarily for 31 years as a military dictator until Laurent Kabila
chased him away from government and sent him on exile.
Katanga region
was later reintegrated into Congo and Moise Tshombe died in 1969 from heart
failure; Joseph Kasavubu also died in his residence in 1969 after many years of
being under house arrest.
Lumumba’s wife
and children escaped to Egypt after his death and his eldest son, Francois
Lumumba, later became a PhD holder in Political Economics.
Patrice Lumumba
remains a national hero in Congo and a true African nationalist. Several
countries all over the world have immortalized him; streets, buildings and
people have been named after him and his gargantuan contribution to the demise
of colonial rule in Africa qualifies him as a great leader. Malcom X once described him as “the greatest black man who ever walked the
African continent”.
Long Live Africa!!! Long Live Pan-Africanism!!! Long
Live Lumumba!!!
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| Lumumba's statue |
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| Lumumba's statue |
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| Lumumba being dragged by Katangan soldiers |
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| Lumumba giving a speech in 1960 |
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