DR Congo Military Claims To Thwart Coup Attempt

KINSHASA: The military of the Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday said it had failed an attempted coup near the offices of President of the country Felix Tshisekedi in Kinshasa involving Congolese and foreign citizens.

A spokesman said the incident happened outside the residence of Economy Minister Vital Kamerhe, in the north of the capital, near the Palais de la Nation that has president’s offices.

General Sylvain Ekenge in a message broadcast on national television said an attempted coup d’etat has been thwarted by the defense and security forces.

According to sources, shots were also heard near the Palais de la Nation at the time of the coup.

Spokesman of the army, General Sylvain Ekenge on Sunday said several Americans and a British man were also part of the group that carried out the failed operation.

Christian Malanga, a Congolese man who was a naturalized American, led the coup bid and had been killed by the security forces, Ekenge said.

The group was made up of different nationalities, Ekenge said, adding that around 40 of the attackers had been apprehended and four — including Malanga — killed.

He went on to say that a naturalized British national was the number two of the group. He added Malanga’s son, Marcel Malanga, was also among the attackers.

Kamerhe, family not harmed

Kamerhe and his family were not harmed in the coup attempt, said a source close to the minister.

The group had planned to attack the residence of the new Prime Minister Judith Suminwa, and the residence of Defense Minister Jean-Pierre Bemba.

However, they failed to identify the home of Suminwa and had not been able to find Bemba at his home.

After the attack at Kamerhe’s home, the group then went to the Palais de la Nation, carrying flags of Zaire, the name of the Democratic Republic of Congo under the dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, who was removed in 1997.

Lucy Tamlyn, the US ambassador to the DRC, in a post-on X, said she was shocked by the events this morning and very worried by the reports of American nationals allegedly being involved.

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The Ambassador of France had reported automatic weapon fire in the area, urging nationals to avoid it.

Videos on social media have gone viral showing men at the Palais de la Nation, brandishing flags of Zaire.

Tshisekedi was elected as president at the end of December when he received more than 70 percent of votes in the first round of the polls.

The parties that supported him won around 90 percent of the seats in the parliamentary elections held the same day.

But he has yet to form a government even after five months of elections.