Reportage
In Kinshasa, the final preparations for the memorial of national hero Lumumba
Alex Tshamala, designer of the Patrice Lumumba mausoleum in Kinshasa.
© Paulina Zidi / RFI
Text by: Paulina Zidi Follow
2 mins
Meditation continues in the DRC more than a week after the return of the remains of Patrice Lumumba.
The national mourning began this Monday, June 27, 2022 and the national hero must be buried next Thursday in a memorial built especially for the occasion.
Advertising
Read more
From our special correspondent in Kinshasa,
Cars, motorcycles, trucks and traffic jams, the start of national mourning has obviously not transformed the face of the capital Kinshasa.
Nevertheless, huge posters with the portrait of Patrice Lumumba and some of his quotes recall the program of these commemorations, which must last until June 30, the 62nd anniversary of independence.
Giant posters of Lumumba in the streets of Kinshasa.
© Paulina Zidi / RFI
At the Limete interchange, traffic noise is compounded by construction noise.
Alex Tshamala is the designer of the mausoleum which will house the remains of Patrice Lumumba: “
That's the axis of this site
, he explains, standing in the middle of the interchange.
And when you go to the end of perspective, that's where you have the memorial where our national hero Patrice Emery Lumumba will finally rest
.
»
A marble base
At his side, the site is busy to finish on time.
Since April 19, the workers have been at work day and night, he adds, and they have just finished installing the marble base on which the coffin will be placed.
A wish of the family: “
Given that our national hero was a great customary chief, that is why they wanted the base to be high, about one meter.
»
After the burial on Thursday, “
we will stop for two days
, confides a works manager,
and then we will have to resume, because there is still work to be done.
It will indeed be necessary to wait until August for the place to be able to welcome its first visitors.
►
To read also: Patrice Lumumba: return to Shilatembo, the site of the last day
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
ground floor
Patrice Lumumba