Kæmpelandet i Afrikas hjerte husker stadig uafhængighedshelten, der formentlig blev myrdet på foranledning af Vesten, hvor man ikke ønskede, at det dav. Sovjet fik foden indenfor i den ressourcerige og strategisk vigtige nation.
The new town of Lumumbaville would be a merger of two existing communities in central DR Congo, BBC online reports Tuesday.
Patrice Lumumba – a Soviet ally – was elected prime minister in 1960 after almost a century of colonial rule. His killing some four months later at the age of 35 was widely blamed on US and UK intelligence agencies.
The government’s decision is likely to be welcomed by most people, as he remains an extremely popular figure.
Lumumbaville will be built in Kassai-Oriental province, the birthplace of Mr Lumumba, to “honour the memory of a great Congolese statesman”. Construction work would start in 2014.
The government is hoping that Western donors will help finance the building of the town, and that it will become a major tourist attraction.
DR Congo is rich in minerals but most people are extremely poor. The vast country has been hit by numerous conflicts since it gained independence from Belgium in 1960.
The most recent uprising, by the M23 rebel group, began last year in eastern DR Congo, leading to some 800.000 people fleeing their homes.
Se mere om Patrice Lumumba på
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrice_Lumumba
