Order of the National Heroes Kabila-Lumumba
Order of the National Heroes Kabila-Lumumba (French: Ordre National «Héros-Nationaux, Kabila-Lumumba») is the highest order of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It is awarded to Congolese nationals and foreigners who have rendered merits and loyal services to the nation. The order was instituted in 2002 as a replacement for the National Order of the Leopard. It is named after President Laurent-Désiré Kabila and Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba, both of whom were assassinated while in office.
Order of the National Heroes Kabila-Lumumba Ordre National «Héros-Nationaux, Kabila-Lumumba» | |
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Awarded by ![]() | |
Type | State order |
Established | 5 August 2002 |
Country | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
Motto | French: "Justice, Paix, Travail" ("Justice, Peace, Work") |
Eligibility | Congolese nationals and foreigners |
Criteria | Merits and loyal services to the nation |
Status | Active |
Grand Chancellor | Félix Tshisekedi |
Chancellor | André Matutezulwa |
Classes | |
Precedence | |
Next (higher) | None |
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History
During the independence of the DRC, there have been four "national orders": Order of the Congolese Nation (Ordre de la Nation Congolaise), National Order of the Leopard (Ordre National du Léopard), National Order of Zaire (Ordre National du Zaïre), and the Order of the National Heroes Kabila-Lumumba, the last of which was founded by Law No. 009/2002 (5 August 2002) and amended by Decree-Law No. 012/2003 (30 March 2003). The previous national orders are no longer awarded.[1] The order is named after President Laurent-Désiré Kabila and Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba. Both were assassinated while in office, on 17 January 1961 and 16 January 2001, respectively.[2] Lumumba had already been declared a "national hero" in 1966 during the rule of Mobutu Sese Seko,[3] and Kabila followed quickly after his death when his son Joseph Kabila immediately took office as the new president. In the form of the new order, both are jointly commemorated as martyrs for national liberation against foreign influence.[4] It is the highest order of the country,[5] given for merits and loyal services to the nation.[6]
An initial set of insignia was drawn up shortly after the order had been instituted. The insignia, however, had to be re-drawn after the DRC changed its flag and emblem in 2006. The insignia are manufactured by Eng Leong Medallic Industries.[7]
It is managed by the Chancery of National Orders (Chancellerie des Ordres Nationaux),[8] located in Gombe, Kinshasa.[9] Its Grand Chancellor is the President of the DRC, currently Félix Tshisekedi,[10] who is aided by the Chancellor,[11] currently André Matutezulwa.[12]
The Congolese orders, decorations, and medals have been marred by corruption. André Matutezulwa has publicly denied that he has ever decorated a Chinese national to the Order of the National Heroes Kabila-Lumumba.[9] Controversy ensued when John Numbi, then Inspector General of the Congolese National Police implicated in the murder of human rights activist Floribert Chebeya and his chauffeur,[13] was made Grand Officer of the order (17 May 2017)[14][15] Some reforms to the order have been suggested. These include a new name because the current one only recognizes the two national heroes. Another suggestion has been to revive the Order of the Leopard to recognize those who have merits but are not entitled to the Order of the National Heroes Kabila-Lumumba.[16]
The order can be awarded to both Congolese nationals and foreigners.[2] It has separate civilian and military divisions.[17] It can also be conferred posthumously.[2] Membership can be revoked for treason or for other serious crimes.[6]
Classes
It has the following five classes:[2]
- Grand Cordon (Grand Cordon)
- Grand Officer (Grand Officier)
- Commander (Commandeur)
- Officer (Officier)
- Knight (Chevalier)
Recipients of the Grand Cordon
Mohammed VI of Morocco (28 February 2006)[18]
Samba Kaputo (4 August 2007, posthumously)[19]
Antoine Gizenga (24 January 2009)[20]
Joseph Kabila (1 July 2010)[21]
Simon Kimbangu (1 July 2010, posthumously)[21]
Joseph Malula (1 July 2010, posthumously)[21]
Marcel Bisukiro (1 July 2010)[21]
Justin Bomboko (1 July 2010)[21]
Christophe Gbenye (1 July 2010)[21]
Augustin Katumba Mwanke (12 February 2012, posthumously)[22]
Abdou Diouf (14 April 2014)[23]
Abdoulaye Yerodia Ndombasi (26 February 2019, posthumously)[24]
Étienne Tshisekedi (31 May 2019, posthumously)[25]
Léon Kengo wa Dondo (9 July 2020)[26]
Joseph Kasa-Vubu (3 October 2020, posthumously)[27]
Timothée Munkutu (21 January 2021, posthumously)[28]
Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya (20 July 2021, posthumously)[29]
Tharcisse Tshibangu Tshishiku (11 January 2022, posthumously)[30]
Benoît Lwamba (19 February 2022, posthumously)[31]
George Arthur Forrest (7 September 2022)[32]
References
- "Les Ordres Nationaux" (in French). Chancellerie des Ordres Nationaux. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
- "RDC : Cinq choses à savoir sur l'Ordre National "Héros Nationaux"". Actualite.cd (in French). 1 June 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
- Petit, Pierre (2020). "Official Miniatures: The Figure of Patrice Lumumba in the Global and the National Contexts". In De Groof, Matthias (ed.). Lumumba in the Arts. Leuven University Press. pp. 373–387. ISBN 978-94-6270-174-8. p. 385.
- Tshonda, Jean Omasombo (2020). "Lumumba, a Never-ending Tragedy and the Unfulfilled Mourning Process of Colonisation". In De Groof, Matthias (ed.). Lumumba in the Arts. Leuven University Press. pp. 44–61. ISBN 978-94-6270-174-8. p. 52.
- Kisangani, Emizet François (2016). Historical Dictionary of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (4th ed.). Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 487. ISBN 978-1-4422-7316-0.
- "LOI 009-2002 du 5 août 2002 portant création de l'ordre national «Héros nationaux»". Leganet.cd (in French). Retrieved 9 May 2023.
- Tripnaux, Éric (2022). "L'ordre congolais des Héros nationaux Kabila-Lumumba: Un collectionneur averti en vaut deux". Articles de phaléristique (in French). Société des amis du musée national de la Légion d'honneur et des ordres de chevalerie. 2022-S-6. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
- "Qui sommes-nous ?" (in French). Chancellerie des Ordres Nationaux. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
- "The Chancellery of National Orders announces the taking of measures to eradicate mafia networks in the field of recognition of merits". ACP. 16 September 2022. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
- "Maurice Mpolo and Joseph Okito decorated with the rank of « Grand Officers » in the National Order of National Heroes, Kabila-Lumumba by the Head of State". ACP. 30 June 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
- "Structures Chancelières: Les Présidents de la République" (in French). Chancellerie des Ordres Nationaux. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
- "Structures Chancelières: Les Chanceliers" (in French). Chancellerie des Ordres Nationaux. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
- Gras, Romain; Bujakera, Stanis Tshiamala (24 March 2021). "DRC: General John Numbi, implicated in the Chebeya case, has fled the country". The Africa Report.com. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
- "RDC: polémique autour de la décoration du général John Numbi". Seneweb (in French). RFI. 7 June 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
- Kashidi, Jeanne (12 July 2017). "In the DRC, the world in reverse: the crime of murder deserves the prize of « national hero »". Beni Lubero Online. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
- Mensah, Ebenezer (27 April 2023). "National Deputy André Tambwe Katembwe Criticizes Bills Proposed by Colleague as Politically Motivated". BNN Breaking. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
- Repetski, Ilja. "Order of the National Heroes Kabila-Lumumba". World Awards. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
- "SM le Roi Mohammed VI" (in French). MAP. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
- "Ordonnance n° 07/061 du 04 août 2007 portant admission dans l'Ordre National Héros Nationaux". Leganet.cd (in French). Retrieved 9 May 2023.
- "Ordonnance ° 09/001 du 24 janvier 2009 portant admission dans l'Ordre National Héros Nationaux" (PDF). Journal Officiel de la République Démocratique du Congo. Première partie (in French). Vol. 50, no. 3. 1 February 2009. OCLC 50605196.
- "Cérémonie de remise d'insignes de « l'Ordre National Héros Nationaux Kabila-Lumumba » au Chef de l'Etat et aux Pionniers de l'Indépendance". Digitalcongo.net (in French). ACP. 3 July 2010. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015.
- "Ordonnance n° 12/001 du 14 février 2012 portant nomination dans l'ordre national « Héros nationaux » Kabila-Lumumba" (PDF). Journal Officiel de la République Démocratique du Congo. Première partie (in French). Vol. 53, no. 4. 15 February 2012. p. 5. OCLC 50605196.
- "RDC : Abdou Diouf décoré du « Grand Cordon Kabila-Lumumba »". Jeune Afrique (in French). 15 April 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
- "Yerodia Abdoulaye Ndombasi conducts to his last home". Digitalcongo.net. 2 March 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
- "Etienne Tshisekedi admitted to the national order Kabila-Lumumba national heroes". Digitalcongo.net. 1 June 2019. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
- N’soki, Corneille Kinsala (13 July 2020). "Leon Kengowa Dondo decorated of Big Cord at the national order of the national heroes Kabila-Lumumba". Digitalcongo.net. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
- "Ordonnance n° 20/138 du 03 octobre 2020 portant admission, à titre posthume, dans l'Ordre national « Héros nationaux Kabila-Lumumba »" (PDF). Journal Officiel de la République Démocratique du Congo. Première partie (in French). Vol. 61, no. 22. 15 November 2020. p. 11. OCLC 50605196.
- Muamba, Clément (22 January 2021). "RDC : Timothée Munkuto admis au grade de Grand cordon des ordres héros nationaux Kabila-Lumumba". DeskEco (in French). Retrieved 8 May 2023.
- "RDC : le cardinal Monsengwo sera inhumé ce mercredi à la cathédrale Notre Dame du Congo". Radio Okapi (in French). 22 January 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
- "Mgr Tharcisse Tshibangu admis dans l'Ordre National « Héros Nationaux Kabila-Lumumba » au grade de Grand Cordon". Actualite.cd (in French). 11 January 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
- "President Felix Tshisekedi pays last respects to Benoît Lwamba". ACP. 20 February 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
- "DRC: Félix Tshisekedi raises George Arthur Forrest to the rank of "Grand Cordon" in the national order of Kabila-Lumumba national heroes". Copperbelt Katanga Mining. 11 September 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
Further reading
- "LOI 009-2002 du 5 août 2002 portant création de l'ordre national «Héros nationaux»". Leganet.cd (in French).
- "Décret-loi n° 012/2003 du 30 mars 2003 modifiant et complétant la loi n° 009/2002 du 05 août 2002 portant création de l'Ordre National Héros Nationaux Kabila-Lumumba" (PDF). Journal Officiel de la République Démocratique du Congo. Première partie (in French). Vol. 44, no. 10. 15 May 2003. pp. 3–5. OCLC 50605196.
- Ordes et Medailles (in French). Chancellerie des Ordres Nationaux. July 2017.