An exhibition in Brussels is marking what would have been the 100th birthday of Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who was assassinated in 1961. The event comes as Belgium faces renewed scrutiny over his death, with a former diplomat now facing a possible war crimes trial.
Lumumba was overthrown, tortured and shot dead by a firing squad in January 1961, aged 35, along with two associates. The killing was carried out by Congolese rivals with the support of Belgian officers. In a surprise move last June, Belgium’s federal prosecutor referred 92-year-old Étienne Davignon to the Brussels criminal court over alleged war crimes related to the assassination.
Davignon, a former diplomat and European Commission vice-president, is the only survivor among ten former officials accused by Lumumba’s family in 2011. The charges relate to unlawful detention and humiliating treatment, though a charge of intent to kill has been dismissed. Davignon has denied involvement, calling the case “absurd”.
Christophe Marchand, a lawyer for the Lumumba family, said the aim is to secure a trial and uncover the truth about what happened. A hearing is scheduled for January 2026 to decide if a full trial should proceed. Belgium’s foreign ministry declined to comment, citing the separation of powers.
The exhibition at the Congolese Cultural Centre in Brussels seeks to broaden the focus beyond Lumumba’s death. “The murder needs to be judged so Belgium can be at peace with the story,” said Nancy Mariam Kawaya, a coordinator at the centre. The show features paintings by Congolese artists, including one imagining Lumumba as a centenarian.
