DR Congo's National Assembly on Friday adopted a resolution proposing five historical figures for the country's National Order of National Heroes. They are opposition figure Étienne Tshisekedi, prophet Simon Kimbangu, prophetess Kimpa Vita and two Catholic archbishops, Christophe Munzihirwa and Emmanuel Kataliko. If approved, they will join Patrice Emery Lumumba and Laurent-Désiré Kabila, the only two national heroes so far, Radio Okapi reported.
Speaker Aimé Boji Sangara chaired the plenary at the Palais du Peuple in Kinshasa, according to Actualite.cd. The Assembly's rapporteur, Jacques Djoli, read out the resolution. It rests on a law of December 23, 2025, which opened the order to other Congolese. The old 2002 law limited the honour to Lumumba and Kabila. They were killed on January 17, 1961, and January 16, 2001, respectively. The resolution says this "hermetically" shut the door on everyone else.
The new law grants the title only posthumously and only to Congolese citizens. They must have risked or given their lives for independence, democracy, territorial integrity or national unity and sovereignty, Actualite.cd reported.
Tshisekedi co-founded the UDPS party and campaigned for democracy, multiparty politics and peaceful transfers of power, according to Radio Okapi. Kimbangu was born in Nkamba, Kongo Central, on September 12, 1887. He began preaching in March 1921 and challenged Belgian colonial rule. He was sentenced to life in prison and spent 30 years in detention.
Kimpa Vita, also known as Dona Beatrice, was born in 1684 in Mbanza-Kongo. She fought to restore the unity of the Kongo kingdom. Accused of heresy, she was burned alive on July 2, 1706. The resolution says honouring her also recognises the struggle of all Congolese women.
Munzihirwa, the Archbishop of Bukavu, was assassinated in October 1996. Kataliko served as Bishop of Butembo-Beni and later as Archbishop of Bukavu. He died in Rome in October 2000. Radio Okapi said both men worked for peace, education and development.
The resolution also calls for the five figures' work to be preserved and passed on through teaching and historical records. Their status is not yet final. The Senate must examine the resolution before it goes to the president.