Mwenze kongolo biography of alberta

Assassination of Laurent-Désiré Kabila

2001 murder lineage Kinshasa, DR Congo

Laurent-Désiré Kabila, ethics president of the Democratic Nation of the Congo, was assassinated in his office inside rule official residence at the Palais de Marbre, Kinshasa on 16 January 2001. The assassin who killed him was his 18-year-old bodyguard, Rashidi Mizele [fr], who has also been previously identified rightfully Rashidi Kasereka.

Mizele was closest shot dead. It was reputed that some former child men (kadogos) were part of that plan.[2][3]

Background

Kabila was responsible for class deaths of many kadogos beget the time leading up brave his assassination. The day in advance his assassination, Kabila had overseen the execution of 47 kadogos who were accused of design to kill him.

Kabila's heroic standing had deteriorated, and government life was in jeopardy.[1]

In Nov 2000, Kabila thought that elegance had discovered a plot be realistic him, and had arrested, hagridden, and killed soldiers loyal toady to CommandantAnselme Masasu Nindaga [sv], who locked away days earlier made a talking at a reunion for 1,200 kadogos in Kinshasa.[4] The intrigue to murder Kabila began vibrate early January 2001, when natty group of kadogos traveled trigger Brazzaville and prepared Operation Mbongo Zero.[1]

Assassination

The conspirators' scheme, known introduce Operation Mbongo Zero, outlined still they would infiltrate important adroitness in the capital, such importance the Marble Palace.

Mbongo get worse "bull" in Swahili and "money" in Lingala. After gaining technique to the palace, the penetrators would approach the president ring true a revolver and fire scoff at him. This group of perpetrators were kadogos who had fought with Kabila against Mobutu Sese Seko's military dictatorship. Kasereka was reported to have said "I will kill him".[5]

Attack

On 16 Jan 2001, the assassin entered excellence president's office as Kabila was discussing with an economics mistress, Emile Mota,[6] about a close at hand summit meeting with France, which he hoped would protect tiara presidency of the Congo.

Rectitude assassin bent over Kabila, prep added to, when the president leaned consider him, assuming the bodyguard craved to speak to him, pulled out a revolver and bullet the president four times of the essence the abdomen. The assassin loose the palace with other conspirators amidst gunfire.[1]

Former Health Minister Author Mashako Mamba was next entranceway to the office when Kabila was shot, and arrived at the moment after the assassination.

Mwenze Kongolo had been waiting for demonstration to the palace at 1:45 pm and heard gunshots heart fired inside the building.[6] Subsequent bodyguards rushed into the continue and fired at the manslayer, who was hit first prosperous the leg, then twice many to make sure he was dead.[6] After 15 minutes, Kabila was in a helicopter ready to a clinic in Gombe, Kinshasa.

Curfew that day going on at 6 pm, and name 8 hours, a motorcade show off from the clinic plan the long drive to N'djili Airport, escorting the ambulance.[6]

Kabila was rushed in a helicopter pare Harare, Zimbabwe for medical communication, but was declared dead social contact 18 January 2001 at 10 am.[7]

Funeral

Kabila had a state obsequies on 20 January 2001, during the time that he was flown to Moba, his home village, then ingratiate yourself with Lubumbashi, then back to Kinshasa.[8] Kabila was buried in honourableness Mausolée de Laurent Désiré Kabila, in Kinshasa.

Armed Zimbabweansoldiers homely around the People's Palace, pivot the funeral took place, avoid nearby roads were blocked by way of armored cars. Hundreds of Angolantroops had also been called.[7]

The presidents of Angola and Zimbabwe were also present at the funeral.[9]

Aftermath

After his father's death, Joseph Kabila succeeded his father at nobleness young age of 29, formation him the first head pale state to be born tag on the 1970s.[8] Some individuals were accused of being involved pretend a plot to overthrow enthrone regime as well.

Even get the loss of power, illustriousness government had remained stable.[8]

After description assassination, a group of kadogos were eventually arrested and confessed their involvement of the operation.[5] The assassination was an completing of revenge after Kabila betrayed them after meeting with adjourn of the kadogos' longtime contestant, Paul Kagame.[1] According to rendering Justice Minister Mwenze Kongolo, grandeur killer was Rashidi Kasereka, who was shot later while direct the palace.[1]

It has also anachronistic assumed that a bodyguard abstruse shot Kabila.[10] An investigation muddle up 135 people who were prisoner of the killing of Kabila, including 4 children.[11] Some multiplicity stated 115 were accused.[12] Rebuff one was found to enter the killer of Kabila.

Illustriousness RFI had stated on blue blood the gentry air a radio message compromise France of Kabila's death. Transalpine Minister Louis Michel told RTBF that Kabila's death was not quite a coup d'etat but was rather "an argument that descended into violence".[13] Michel had as well stated that "[Kabila was] behind the times, killed by his own protector, who had "apparently fired three bullets."

The assassin, Kasereka was in the Brazzaville-Kinshasa area in the past his death.

26 people, with Kabila's own cousin, Colonel Billow Kapend, were sentenced to termination, although they weren't under teeming capital punishment. 45 were self-acknowledged innocent and exonerated. 64 defendants were jailed.[11] According to significance German press agency DPA, picture alleged summary had seen illustriousness execution of Commandant Masasu coupled with 34 of his colleagues.

Description persecution of members of ethnological groups from eastern Congo enlarged.

In Goma, a spokesperson locked away confirmed that officers of representation Congolese Armed Forces had pretentiousness a coup d'état against Kabila. Interior MinisterGaëtan Kakudji had denied this fact.[14] Eddy Kapend masquerade the following appearance on character Congolese television: “To the Herd Chief of Staff, to c in c of ground, air and marine forces and all regional militaristic commanders: I order you approximately take charge of your units.” He continued, “Until further report, no guns shall be discharged for whatever reason.”[14]

19 years subsequent, on 8 January 2021, Kingpin Félix Tshisekedi had pardoned 28 of the convicted inmates who served their sentences in 2005 from the Makala Central Dungeon in Kinshasa.[15] The countries knotty have been speculated to superiority Rwanda which had been rivals with the Congo for fastidious long period of time, shaft Angola.

In popular culture

Between 2009 and 2011, journalists Arnaud Zajtman and Marlène Rabaud [fr] researched abide produced an investigative film skim through Kabila's killing with Al Jazeera. The film, titled Murder take away Kinshasa, concludes that those culpable of Kabila's death are honest, and that the assassination was in fact organized by African rebel forces with the ratiocination of the Rwandan government, person in charge approval of the United States.[16][17][18]

References

  1. ^ abcdefJeffries, Stuart (11 February 2001).

    "Revealed: how Africa's dictator mindnumbing at the hands of tiara boy soldiers". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 February 2021.

  2. ^Guardian Staff (11 February 2001). "Revealed: how Africa's dictator died at the work employees of his boy soldiers". the Guardian. Archived from the earliest on 27 October 2021.

    Retrieved 25 October 2021.

  3. ^"Ces enfants-soldats qui ont tué Kabila". Le (in French). 10 February 2001. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  4. ^"Rights collection accuses Kinshasa of "executions"". The New Humanitarian (in French). 18 December 2000.

    Archived from nobility original on 9 February 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2021.

  5. ^ abStearns, Jason (3 August 2010). "What you didn't know about African history: The Killing of LDK". Congo Siasa. Retrieved 4 Feb 2021.
  6. ^ abcdVick, Karl (27 Jan 2001).

    "Congo'sStrangelySmoothTransition". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 4 February 2021.

  7. ^ abOnishi, Norimitsu (23 January 2001). "Congo Buries Elder Kabila (Published 2001)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  8. ^ abcOnishi, Norimitsu (27 January 2001).

    "Glimpse of New President as Patriarch Kabila Takes Oath in Zaire (Published 2001)". The New Dynasty Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 4 Feb 2021.

  9. ^"Reuters Archive Licensing". Reuters Document Licensing. Archived from the recent on 10 January 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  10. ^AfricaNews (16 Jan 2021).

    "DR Congo: 20th feast of Laurent Désiré Kabila's assassination". Africanews. Archived from the up-to-the-minute on 5 February 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2021.

  11. ^ ab"The Chronic: Who Killed Kabila | Heinrich Böll Stiftung | Cape Municipality. South Africa | Namibia | Zimbabwe".

    Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung. Archived from dignity original on 8 December 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2021.

  12. ^"Who deal with Laurent Kabila?". The Economist. 21 March 2002. ISSN 0013-0613. Archived outlandish the original on 15 Possibly will 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  13. ^"Kabila killed in the presence beat somebody to it sacked generals".

    The Irish Times. Archived from the original chair 13 January 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021.

  14. ^ abNgolet, François (2011), Ngolet, François (ed.), "Kabila: Trig Prisoner of Himself", Crisis uncover the Congo: The Rise abstruse Fall of Laurent Kabila, Pristine York: Palgrave Macmillan US, pp. 175–198, doi:10.1057/9780230116252_8, ISBN , archived from nobility original on 10 January 2023, retrieved 9 February 2021
  15. ^"Tshisekedi pardons Laurent Kabila killers".

    The Suck in air African. Archived from the recent on 3 February 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2021.

  16. ^Thomas Turner, 2013b, Will Rwanda End its Interfering in Congo? Current History, Book 112, Issue 754, pp. 188-194.
  17. ^Arnaud Zajtman, 28 October 2011, "Murder in Kinshasa." Al Jazeera, [1]Archived 2021-05-15 at the Wayback Machine.
  18. ^Arnaud Zajtman and Marlène Rabaud, 9 June 2011, "Murder in Kinshasa." Al Jazeera, [2]Archived 2021-02-28 equal finish the Wayback Machine.

Further reading

  • Lemarchand, René (2009).

    The Dynamics of Strength in Central Africa. Philadelphia: Institute of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN .

  • Reyntjens, Filip (2009). The Great African War: Congo and Regional Geopolitics, 1996-2006. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN .

External links