The past Saturday marked the 54th anniversary of the assassination of Patrice Lumumba, the first democratically elected leader of what is now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Lumumba's Pan-Africanism and his vision of a united Congo gained him both many admirers and many enemies. Both Belgium and the United States actively sought to have him killed. The CIA ordered his assassination but could not complete the job. Instead, the United States and Belgium covertly funnelled cash and aid to rival politicians who seized power and arrested Lumumba. On January 17, 1961, after being beaten and tortured, Lumumba was shot and killed.
To help us unpack this we have :
Dr Check Achu, of the Africa Institute of South Africa programme at the Human Science Research Council - HSRC,
Claude Kabemba CEO of the Southern Africa Resource Watch,
Professor Sphiwe Sesanti, Associate Professor of Journalism, Media and Philosophy at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in South Africa's Eastern Cape Province
