Lumumbaville Explained
Lumumbaville |
Settlement Type: | City |
Seal Size: | 160 |
Pushpin Map: | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Democratic Republic of the Congo |
Pushpin Mapsize: | 250 |
Subdivision Type: | Country |
Subdivision Name: | DR Congo |
Subdivision Type1: | Province |
Subdivision Name1: | Sankuru |
Parts Type: | Communes |
Parts Style: | para |
P1: | Ewango |
P2: | Wembo-Nyama |
Leader Title: | Mayor |
Leader Name: | Micheline Ayaki |
Named For: | Patrice Lumumba |
Established Title: | City status |
Established Date: | 2013 (upheld 2018) |
Established Title2: | First Mayor |
Established Date2: | 6 January 2022 |
Population Density Km2: | auto |
Timezone: | Central Africa Time |
Utc Offset: | +2 |
Coordinates: | -4.0748°N 24.5515°W |
Blank1 Name Sec2: | Climate |
Blank1 Info Sec2: | Aw |
Lumumbaville is a new city being developed in Sankuru province, in the central Democratic Republic of Congo. It was created to honor the national and panafrican hero Patrice Lumumba, independence leader and first prime minister of the country, who was executed in 1961 during the Congo crisis.
As of January 2024, this largely undeveloped planned city, consisting of the town of Wembo-Nyama and the adjoining land and villages of the former Ewango grouping (fr.groupement), enjoys the full administrative and political stature of a city. Lumumba was born in the village of Onalua which is part of Ewango, and completed elementary school in Wembo-Nyama.
Inception
In 2013 President Joseph Kabila's prime minister, Matata Ponyo, signed a series of decrees creating about 78 new cities including Lumumbaville. In 2015 it was found necessary to suspend the setting up of most of these cities, among which was Lumumbaville. It was only in 2018, in the last months of Kabila's presidency, that Prime Minister Bruno Tshibala lifted these suspensions. Lumumbaville was then placed on a priority list for implementation due to its "historical importance".
It was not until June 2020, just a few days before the 60′th anniversary of independence, that a proposal to carry out the making of Lumumbaville into a city was approved at a meeting of the Ilunga cabinet with the strong support of President Félix Tshisekedi. The city administration was installed in time to organize three days of mourning in Lumumbaville when Lumumba's remains were repatriated in June 2022 and brought to Onalua as part of a tour of the country before being laid to rest in a special mausoleum in Kinshasa.
Location
Lumumbaville sits between the territories of Katako-Kombe and Lubefu stretching from the town of Wembo-Nyama to close by the town of Tshumbe to the northwest. The city was created by carving the Ewengo and Mibangu (Wembo-Nyama) groupings out of Katako-Kombe's Lukumbe sector.
It is located about 98miles northwest of the provincial capital Lusambo, 118miles east of the river port town of Bena Dibele, and 76miles southeast of the town of Lodja which has the nearest national airport. No major national or provincial roads reach the city.
Environment
Sacred groves
Sacred groves or forests are important preserves of biodiversity in areas undergoing deforestation. In a survey of sacred groves published in 2021 the area which is now Lumumbaville was found to have two groves named Omanguwo and Omakoy in good condition—unimpacted by human activity. Three other groves were found to be somewhat degraded by cultivation and the felling of trees for firewood. Seven other groves were in the category degraded (3) or severely degraded (4) due to more severe exploitation, and the last two had disappeared under dwellings.
In the Congo there is little interest in the management of sacred groves and their conservation rests mostly on traditional custom and fear of the forbidden. In the wider region under study, the survey found that 89% of the sacred groves are under threat.
Government
In terms of administration, the city is led by a mayor and has two subdivisions: the communes of Ewango and Wembo-Nyama, each of which is led by a burgomaster. On 25 August 2020, President Félix Tshisekedi appointed the first administrative authorities: Micheline Ayaki Anzilani as mayor, her deputy, the two burgomasters, and their deputies. Tshisekedi personally attended their installation ceremony on 6 January 2022.
In the 2023 general election, Lumumbaville elected its first National Assembly deputy and its first deputy to the Provincial Assembly of Sankuru. It was the only new legislative district of the 2024-2028 legislature.
Infrastructure projects
President Tshisekedi is reported to have promised that Lumumbaville will be modern and a tourist city. As of December 2023, development activities include:
- Installation of four solar power plants with the goal of providing electricity to a 1,000 households and 100 street lights.
- Upgrade the access road from Tshumbe and the construction of a modern city hall.
- The State of the African Diaspora signed an agreement to construct a new town, a smart city, on land provided by the city.
The modernizing of the Lodja airport and plans for a practicable road system to connect the major centers of Sankuru to each other and to National Road 1 (RN1) will also benefit Lumumbaville.
Education
Lumumaville has long reputation of being a cultural and educational city. As of May 2024, education institutions includes:
- UPEL: Université Patrice Emery Lumumba (Patrice Emery Lumumba University)
- ISP: Institut Supérieur Pédagogique de Wembo Nyama.
- ISTEM: Institut Supérieur des Technique Médicales.
- The city serves as an educational pool and has several elementary and high school organized by local churches.
Notes and references
Cited works
- Shomba Kinyamba . Sylvain . Lumumbaville, catalyseur de la paix, de la cohésion sociale et du développement durable dans la province du Sankuru . Mouvements et Enjeux Sociaux - Revue Internationale des Dynamiques Sociales (M.E.S.-RIDS) . 2021 . 116 . Janvier-Mars . 1-7 . 28 March 2024 . fr . .
- Book: Journal officiel de la République Démocratique du Congo . 20 June 2013 . 54 . Special . 12 Jan 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200112165754/http://www.leganet.cd/Legislation/JO/2013/numeros/JOS.20.06.2013.pdf . 12 January 2020 . live . fr . .
- Décret n° 13/023 du 13 juin 2013 . Journal officiel de la République Démocratique du Congo . 20 June 2013 . 54 . spécial . 29 Mar 2024 . fr . cols 80-84 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200112165754/http://www.leganet.cd/Legislation/JO/2013/numeros/JOS.20.06.2013.pdf#page=40 . 12 January 2020 . live . .
- News: Les Décrets portant statut de nouvelles villes, cités et communes mis en veilleuse . 13 Jan 2020 . le Phare . 23 July 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171001022421/https://www.lephareonline.net/les-decrets-portant-statut-de-nouvelles-villes-cites-et-communes-mis-en-veilleuse/ . 1 October 2017 . fr . dead . .
- News: Matotu . T. . Le Gouvernement relance le débat au Parlement sur la répartition des sièges aux Locales . 19 Jan 2020 . Le Soft International . 1325 . 23 July 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151214091343/http://www.lesoft.be/journaux/journal1325.pdf#page=6 . 14 December 2015 . 6–7 . fr . pdf . live .
- Décret n° 18/020 du 30 mai 2018 . Journal officiel de la République Démocratique du Congo . 1 July 2019 . 59 . 13 . 22 Jan 2020 . fr . col 13-14 . .
- Web site: Arrêté Interministeriel n° 25/CAB/VPM/MININTERSEC/HMS/081/2018 & n° CAB/ME/MIN.DRI/ARN/FKT/007/2018 du 30 Mai 2018. www.lualaba.gouv.cd . 22 Jan 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190930050543/http://www.lualaba.gouv.cd/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/ARRETE-INTERMINISTERIEL-PORTANT-MISE-EN-OEUVRE-DES-DISPOSITION-.pdf . 30 September 2019 . fr . dead . .
- News: RDC: le gouvernement adopte l’opérationnalistation de Lumumba-ville (Wembo-Nyama) en tant que ville . Actualite.cd . 22 February 2024 . fr . 27 June 2020 . .
- News: Sankuru: la dépouille de Patrice Emery Lumumba est arrivée mercredi à Lumumbaville (Onalua) . 29 March 2024 . mediacongo.net . ACP/MCP . 23 June 2022 . fr . .
- Fonu Anahendo . Josée . Belesi . K . Lubini . A . Analyse de l’état de conservation des forêts sacrées du Secteur de Lukumbe en République Démocratique du Congo . International Journal of Latest Research in Humanities and Social Science (IJLRHSS) . 2021 . 4 . 6 . 13-23 . 27 March 2024 . fr . .
- News: Le Président Félix Tshisekedi nomme Ayagi Anzilani maire de la ville de Lumumbaville . 20 March 2024 . Agence Congolaise de Presse (ACP) . 25 August 2020 . fr . .
- News: RDC : Le Président Félix Tshisekedi dote la mairie de Lumumbaville de matériels de travail . 20 March 2024 . Provinces 26 RDC . ACP . 16 February 2022 . fr . .
- Web site: Liste des meilleurs élus aux législatives nationales de décembre 2023 . List of those elected with absolute majorities in the National Assembly elections of December 2023 . . 19 January 2024 . 7 . 19 March 2024 . fr . .
- News: Voici les députés provinciaux élus: Nord-Kivu, Nord-Ubangi, Sankuru, Sud-Kivu, Sud-Ubangi, Tanganyka, Tshopo et Tshuapa . 19 March 2024 . Forum des As . 24 January 2024 . fr . .
- News: Lusimana . Blandine . Matérialisation de Lumumba-ville : une délégation d’experts sur le terrain pour des études de faisabilité . 20 March 2024 . Agence d’Information d’Afrique Centrale . 5 September 2023 . fr.
- Web site: Construction of 4 solar power plants in Lumumba Ville . GoShop.cd . 19 March 2024 . .
- Web site: Après son érection en ville, WemboNyama, la cité des origines de Patrice Emery Lumumba accède à l’électricité . fr . anser.gouv.cd . 19 March 2024 . 14 December 2023 . .
- Web site: Kabula . Jules . Infrastructures de base au Sankuru, lancement des travaux de modernisation de l’aéroport de Lodja et de l’aménagement de Lumumba ville . acgt.cd . 19 March 2024 . fr . 21 December 2023.
- State of the African Diaspora . SOAD signs a cooperation agreement to build Lumumba City in Congo . 23 May 2023 . 18 March 2024 . .
- State of the African Diaspora . From Lumumba Day to Lumumbaville . 20 January 2024 . 18 March 2024 . .