The image circulated widely during the World Cup, during the match between DR Congo and Colombia. A Congolese supporter stood in the stands, completely motionless, with his arm raised, for the entire duration of the game. A habitual gesture for Michel Kuka Mboladinga, nicknamed “Lumumba Vea”who remains motionless during Congo's matches, often for 90 minutes, to support the Leopards.
Far from being a mere attraction, this attitude is actually a direct tribute to Patrice Lumumba, one of the most important figures in the history of Congo.
A pose in homage to a Congolese hero
Michel Kuka Mboladinga replicates the pose of the Patrice Lumumba statue in Kinshasa: standing with his right arm raised. He also wears an outfit in the colors of the Democratic Republic of Congo, as a visual reminder of the national flag.
As a reminder, Patrice Lumumba was the first Prime Minister of independent Congo. He came to power in 1960, just after the country's independence from Belgium. His term was very short: he was removed from power a few months later, in the midst of a political crisis.
On January 17, 1961, Lumumba was executed in Katanga. He was 35 years old. His assassination made him a major figure of African anti-colonialism and Congolese sovereignty.
A symbol of independence, dignity, and sovereignty.
It is this memory that Michel Kuka Mboladinga embodies in the stadiums. He doesn't jump, doesn't sing, doesn't move. He remains standing, motionless, to remind us of Patrice Lumumba. His nickname, “Lumumba Vea”means “Lumumba lives”At every DR Congo match where he stands like this, he transforms the stands into a living tribute to the man who remains, for many Congolese, a symbol of independence, dignity and sovereignty.
