The political situation in Congo-Kinshasa

Photo from the location/Christian Malanga.

Exiled politician killed in failed coup attempt

Several Americans and a British citizen were involved in the thwarted coup attempt in Congo-Kinshasa on Sunday. This is stated by army spokesperson Sylvain Ekenge according to AFP.

The coup attempt was led by prominent opposition politician Christian Malanga, who was killed by security forces, according to Ekenge.

Malanga had for several years conducted opposition political activities in exile in the United States, where he first arrived in 1998, campaigning among Congolese in the diaspora.

He was seen as a unifying person for the part of the diaspora that looked up to the dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, who was overthrown and fled the country in 1997 when it was called Zaire, writes TT.

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Army: Partial foreign coup attempt stopped

The army in Congo-Kinshasa has stopped an attempted coup by both domestic and foreign actors, says General Sylvain Ekenge in a televised statement according to AFP.

He adds that "the Congolese and the foreigners, including their leaders [...] have been neutralized".

US Ambassador Lucy Tamlin writes on X that there are reports that American citizens were involved in the coup attempt, and that she is "shocked" by the news.

Two policemen and a coup plotter are said to have been killed in a shooting at Finance Minister Vital Kamerhe's residence near the presidential palace in Kinshasa earlier on Sunday.