The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has confirmed that the gold-capped tooth of independence hero Patrice Lumumba is safe, following a break-in at his mausoleum in Kinshasa earlier this week.
The reassurance comes after widespread concerns that the only physical remains of the iconic leader might have been stolen during the incident.
Interior Minister Jacquemain Shabani announced on Thursday that the tooth, which holds immense historical and emotional value, has been secured. However, he did not disclose its exact location or whether it was in the mausoleum at the time of the vandalism.
The mausoleum, constructed to honour Lumumba, was targeted on Monday night, with its glass door shattered. The site has since been sealed off, and police have detained six suspects, while two more individuals are being sought in connection with the crime.
Culture Minister Yolande Elebe Mandembo described the act as a “heinous desecration” of the national hero’s burial site.
Lumumba’s daughter, Juliana, also confirmed that the tooth had already been moved to a safer location due to prior security concerns. Speaking to the BBC, she expressed deep disappointment over the incident, saying;
“This is so unrepresentative of our culture, which respects the graves of our dearly departed.”
Patrice Lumumba, the DRC’s first prime minister, became a symbol of anti-colonial resistance after his powerful speech against racism on June 30, 1960, the day the country gained independence from Belgium. However, within months, he was ousted in a coup, supported by Belgium and the CIA.
Lumumba was executed in January 1961, and his body was dissolved in acid. A Belgian police officer kept his gold tooth as a grim trophy.
In 2022, Belgium returned the relic to Lumumba’s family in a solemn ceremony in Brussels. The tooth was subsequently taken on a national tour in the DRC, allowing citizens to pay their respects before it was interred in the mausoleum under heavy security.
The vandalism has sparked outrage, with many blaming it on lapses in safeguarding the site.
The Lumumba Foundation has called for control over the mausoleum’s management, citing persistent security concerns.
