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It’s Congolese Indpendence Month
and we need to speak about this man. Patrice Emery Lumumba.
“An African man with powerful enemies” - A THREAD.
[RIP to a true African great]
![It’s Congolese Indpendence Monthand we need to speak about this man. Patrice Emery Lumumba.“An African man with powerful enemies” - A THREAD. [RIP to a true African great]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EZbG4fBWAAEljzM.jpg "It’s Congolese Indpendence Monthand we need to speak about this man. Patrice Emery Lumumba.“An African man with powerful enemies” - A THREAD. [RIP to a true African great]")
and we need to speak about this man. Patrice Emery Lumumba.“An African man with powerful enemies” - A THREAD.
[RIP to a true African great]
1. As first Prime Minister and the politician who played a huge part in gaining the Congo DR independence; although coming from one of the smaller ethnic groups, he had a devout following and a clear message.
Patrice Lumumba was spearheading pan-Africanism across the continent
Patrice Lumumba was spearheading pan-Africanism across the continent
2. In Dec 1958 Lumumba attended the 1st All-African People’s Conference in Accra, Ghana.
Nationalists from all over Africa were in attendance, and he was officially made a permanent organisation member. People were inspired by his outlook, vocabulary & pan-African goals
Nationalists from all over Africa were in attendance, and he was officially made a permanent organisation member. People were inspired by his outlook, vocabulary & pan-African goals
3. Tensions rose as Belgian govt announce elections in Congo for December 1959, in a move towards independence. Nationalists boycotted this, in fear of it being used as a way for Belgium to instil puppets into Congolese politics. Lumumba was imprisoned for inciting rioting 1/2...
4. 2/2... In January 1960 the Belgian govt held a Round Table Conference in Brussels, for parties to discuss political change, but nationalists refused to participate without Lumumba.
He was released from prison & flown to Brussels. A date was agreed for independence, June 30
parties to discuss political change, but nationalists refused to participate without Lumumba.He was released from prison & flown to Brussels. A date was agreed for independence, June 30
5. Why are the above events important? They’re key moments when Western society realised how impactful Lumumba was, and how many believed in him.
Note, Lumumba prevailed at a time of national conflict, Belgian troops & M.Tshombe wanting to separate Katanga were part of his fight
Note, Lumumba prevailed at a time of national conflict, Belgian troops & M.Tshombe wanting to separate Katanga were part of his fight
6. As Lumumba was against Moise Tshombe who wanted to seperate Katanga from Congo, he needed help to fight the Belgian army that was then occupying Katanga.
His troops were untried & untrained. needed help, so he reached out to the United Nations for its troops... MISTAKE #1
His troops were untried & untrained.
needed help, so he reached out to the United Nations for its troops... MISTAKE #1
7. Simply put, the UN were condescending and refused to help. They wanted Lumumba dead just as the Belgians did, his pan-African talk was encouraging internal control of the economy, all borders and resources.
So he fatefully reached out to the Soviet Union... MISTAKE #2
control of the economy, all borders and resources.So he fatefully reached out to the Soviet Union... MISTAKE #2
8. He wanted the SU to assist him with military planes to fly his troops into Katanga. But by doing this, he alarmed 3 of his MAJOR ENEMIES: The Belgian, The United Nations & Great Britain.
All, who did not want the Soviets to have a hand in Congo’s resources before they did.
All, who did not want the Soviets to have a hand in Congo’s resources before they did.
9. Immediately in the White House, President Eisenhower held a National Security Council meeting in the summer of 1960 - in which he ordered his CIA director to ensure Lumumba was "eliminated".
CIA attempts with snipers and poisoned toothpaste to rid of Lumumba were unsuccessful
CIA attempts with snipers and poisoned toothpaste to rid of Lumumba were unsuccessful
10. Although there is no proof that Britain actually had a hand in killing Lumumba, what is known is that murder was also on the mind of some in London.
Head of MI5, Howard Smith outlined a number of options. "The first is removing him from the scene by killing him," he wrote.
Head of MI5, Howard Smith outlined a number of options. "The first is removing him from the scene by killing him," he wrote.
11. Not only that, but Daphne Park (who was the MI6 officer in at the time it just gained independence) told the BBC that the British secret service didn’t have a direct “lisence to kill” but they “organised it” using a number of spies
More: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-22006446
at the time it just gained independence) told the BBC that the British secret service didn’t have a direct “lisence to kill” but they “organised it” using a number of spies More: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-22006446
12. Daphne Park went as far as to admit that she rescued one of the senior politicians in Congo who agreed to hand Lumumba over.
She admitted to smuggling him to freedom when Lumumba's people had guessed he was in contact with her. If this doesn’t implicate Britain then......
She admitted to smuggling him to freedom when Lumumba's people had guessed he was in contact with her. If this doesn’t implicate Britain then......
13. Eventually, Lumumba was captured by Mobutu’s troops who then handed him over to the Belgian and Katangese troops that executed him.
Crazy how all of these western white people wanted him dead, but the people who done the killing were his own, governed by Belgian rule.
Crazy how all of these western white people wanted him dead, but the people who done the killing were his own, governed by Belgian rule.
14. In his last moments, it is said that they removed all of his teeth, beat and tortured and then dissolved his body in acid.
His teeth were taken back to Belgium as a twisted sign of their victory. And all of Lumumba’s shaky alliances were proved to be his demise.
His teeth were taken back to Belgium as a twisted sign of their victory. And all of Lumumba’s shaky alliances were proved to be his demise.
15. This thread describes the fate of almost every African man with powerful enemies
As Africans, it’s important to understand what he died for; an icon of HOPE FOR AFRICA.
#PatriceLumumba #panafricanism
As Africans, it’s important to understand what he died for; an icon of HOPE FOR AFRICA.
#PatriceLumumba #panafricanism
That’s the end! There’s so much in the thread I could not cover, so much still unmentioned but hopefully you enjoyed and learned something new!
Don’t forget to subscribe to my website http://ssozinha.com for more african history content
Don’t forget to subscribe to my website http://ssozinha.com for more african history content
By the way for more background, some of you may not know that I actually wrote an e-book called ‘The Dark Tales of Congo DR’ that goes into this entire story. Predominantly chapters 3-6. You can buy it here for just £3.49 https://www.ssozinha.com/product-page/the-dark-tales-of-congo-dr 
