Vandals Target Lumumba Mausoleum, Fate of Tooth Uncertain

The mausoleum of Congolese independence leader Patrice Lumumba was broken into, raising concerns over the security of his only remaining relic.

• The mausoleum of Patrice Lumumba in Kinshasa was vandalized, with glass doors smashed and the coffin containing his tooth broken.
• Lumumba's tooth, returned by Belgium in 2022, is the only remaining part of his body after his assassination in 1961.
• The Congolese Ministry of Culture has condemned the vandalism as unacceptable and launched a police investigation.
• Culture Minister Yolande Elebe stated that it is not yet confirmed if the tooth has been stolen, pending investigation results.
• Lumumba is a symbol of Congo's independence, and his tooth's return was a significant gesture in Congo-Belgium relations.

2 Articles

POLITICO