DR Congo: the remains of Étienne Tshisekedi will be repatriated to Kinshasa

His remains will eventually rest in his native country. The repatriation of the body and the funeral of former opponent Étienne Tshisekedi will take place between May 30 and June 1, a new sign of political détente in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

"His body arrives on May 30 and the funeral will be held at the Martyrs Stadium, and Saturday will be the burial after the solemn high Mass at the Martyrs Stadium, and all the bishops will be there," the brother's brother told AFP. deceased, Bishop Gérard Mulumba.

The father of the new president Felix Tshisekedi died in Brussels on February 1, 2017 during a period of political tension, under the former regime of President Joseph Kabila.

His body was resting since in the Belgian capital for lack of a political agreement between the old regime and the family on his rapratriement and the organization of funerals.

It's now official. #RDC. The funeral program of the hero of democracy. The late Étienne Tshisekedi wa Mulumba, happy memory. pic.twitter.com/HhgTWc6hKZ

"It's been more than two years since we did everything we could, we did not succeed, so now that things are going well, we are obviously relieved," said Bishop Gérard Mulumba.

The announcement was made the day after the appointment of a prime minister by President Felix Tshisekedi, on the proposal of his predecessor, Joseph Kabila.

A former close friend of Mobutu

In 2011, Tshisekedi Sr., the presidential candidate, refused to recognize Joseph Kabila's re-election and declared himself the winner of the elections.

In February 1982, he founded the opposition party Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), under the single party regime, at the time of dictator Mobutu Sese Seko (1965-1997). He was then prime minister in the 1990s at the time of openness to multiparty politics.

After independence on June 30, 1960, Etienne Tshisekedi had been a close friend of Mobutu. On June 1, 1966, he was a minister during the hanging of four politicians accused of treason. Known in the history of the Congo as the "martyrs of Pentecost", they give their name to the stage where the memory of Stephen Tshisekedi, the same June 1st of Pentecost, must be honored, fifty-three years later.

With AFP