Lumumba, the mechanics of an assassination

Audio 19:30

Patrice Lumumba in New York in August 1960. He was assassinated six months later in Katanga.

AFP

By: Pierre Firtion Follow

21 min

On January 17, 1961, Patrice Lumumba, deposed Congolese Prime Minister, died assassinated in the south of the Congo.

His death causes considerable emotion around the world and helps make him a mythical figure in the history of African independence.

But why and by whom was this young independence leader assassinated?

Destabilized, demonized, hunted down, the native of Onalua in Sankuru was, during the last year of his life, the target of different groups with converging interests.

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“Lumumba, the mechanics of an assassination”, a large report by Pierre Firtion.

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