Pierre Mulele

Pierre Mulele
Pierre Mulele in a campaign poster, c. 1960
Personal details
Born11 August 1929
Malungu, Belgian Congo
Died3 or 9 October 1968 (age 39)
Kinshasa, Congo-Léopoldville
Cause of deathTorture ordered by Mobutu
NationalityCongolese
SpouseLéonie Abo
ChildrenEulalie, Ghislaine
OccupationGuerrilla fighter
Military service
Battles/warsCongo Crisis
Simba rebellion

Pierre Mulele (11 August 1929 – 3 or 9 October 1968) was a Congolese rebel active in the Simba rebellion of 1964. Mulele had also been minister of education in Patrice Lumumba's cabinet. With the assassination of Lumumba in January 1961 and the arrest of his recognised deputy Antoine Gizenga one year later, Mulele became one of the top Lumumbists determined to continue the struggle. He went to Cairo as the representative of the Lumumbists' Congo National Liberation Committee based in Brazzaville. From Cairo he proceeded to China in 1963 to receive military training, and also took a group of Congolese youths with him, who received training in guerrilla tactics.[1] Mulele was lured out of exile after Mobutu Sese Seko promised him amnesty, but Mobutu had him tortured and executed after Mulele returned to the Congo. He was a member of the Bapende ethnic group.[2]

  1. ^ China's Policy in Africa 1958-71. By Alaba Ogunsanwo. ISBN 0521134404. Page 175.
  2. ^ Congo, David van Reybrouck, 2010