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22 years later, the death of Laurent-Désiré Kabila has not revealed all its secrets

22 years ago to the day, Congolese President Laurent-Désiré Kabila was assassinated. Despite many guesses, the truth about this event has never come to light.

While he was politically isolated, on January 16, 2001, Mzee – understand “the Wise”, in Swahili – was assassinated. Laurent-Désiré Kabila is still president of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This does not prevent a member of his guard, Rashidi Mizele, from killing him, before, officially, being shot by Colonel Eddy Kapend, the president's cousin. Quite a symbol: almost forty years to the day before—January 17, 1961—is Patrice Lumumba who was assassinated.

As for Lumumba, many gray areas mark the assassination of Kabila. That the arrest of Colonel Eddy Kapend has not been clarified, despite the presidential pardon of Felix Tshisekedi two years ago. Because if Rashidi Mizele is accused of the assassination, on the spot, confusion reigns at the time: according to the stories, the Minister of Health, Mashako Mamba, tries to resuscitate the president while Eddy Kapend must take power in a way temporary. He is finally also accused and will not stop claiming his innocence.

Several ministers decree a curfew in Kinshasa, and a committee is formed, which will designate Joseph-Désiré Kabila to take the place of his father. According, it is said, to the wishes of Kabila senior. A letter found at the scene of the crime shows that it was foreseeable: a member of the American embassy had indeed written on a piece of paper, to Kabila: "In case of problem, contact this number".

Who is behind this assassination?

There are many speculations about Kabila's murder. Among them, the one that links the crime to Iran, whose delegation was present in the DRC to complete a contract for the supply of uranium to Tehran. Lebanese were also kidnapped and executed on January 16, 2001. All of them were linked to the diamond sector.

Like Eddy Kapend, twenty-five people will be sentenced to death, two years after the events.

This January 16, 2001 sounds in any case like a tragic end for the one who had precipitated the departure of Mobutu in 1997. Laurent-Désiré Kabila had expelled the Zairian head of state and decided to change country name. The transition had been bloodless. But very quickly, Kabila had felt the wind turn.

In 1997, after the installation of the government of public hello, the DRC wavers. It is Tutsis of Rwandan and Ugandan origin who take key government posts and Kabila is accused of allowing foreign interference to take place. The president then separated from foreign members of the army who had helped him to come to power. Thus wiping out an attempted coup d'etat.

From 1998, the country took on the appearance of dictatorships. Kabila will imprison his opponents, including a certain… Étienne Tshisekedi. But three years later, the president will be assassinated. Without knowing exactly, today, who is hiding behind this murder.

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