STATEMENT - Desecration of Patrice Lumumba's grave in Kinshasa

It is with profound horror that I learned yesterday 19 November, in Kinshasa, of the desecration of my grandfather’s grave, Patrice Emery Lumumba. The mausoleum dedicated to this hero of independence was forcibly breached, its glass shattered, and the coffin disgracefully overturned under still unclear circumstances. Thankfully, my grandfather’s remains have been secured.

This latest affront, though deeply shocking, is not entirely surprising. It reflects the severe moral decay that has taken root in Congolese society—a decay mirrored by the failure of our political and economic elite to uphold the standards of integrity and responsibility that the people deserve.

While the act itself is a glaring symptom of Congolese societal decline, addressing it must go beyond finding a convenient scapegoat. It is all too easy to lay the blame on security personnel, many of whom operate under appalling conditions, irregularly paid and abandoned in environments of utter neglect. Let us not forget that Patrice Lumumba, at his core, was a trade unionist who believed in the dignity of work—not as an end in itself, but as something to be pursued with pride and respect.

As the saying goes, "a society is judged by the way it treats its elders." What about the way we honour our heroes?

The true accountability lies with those who have allowed the emergence of conditions that make such transgressions possible. This is not merely an isolated incident. It is a stark reflection of the broader state of our society.

As the saying goes, "A society is judged by the way it treats its elders." Should we not also be judged by how we honour our heroes?

Amory Lumumba

Son of Fran?ois Tolenga Emery Lumumba

Grand son of Patrice Emery Lumumba