DR Congo opposition leader, Tshisekedi not buried one year later

February, 01 2018 marked the first anniversary of the death of longtime opposition leader in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Etienne Tshisekedi. One year on, his remains are still in a funeral home in Brussel, Belgium.

In August, an agreement between his biological family, the government and the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), his political party defined the terms of repatriation of his body and burial.

The state is to pay for the related expenses. The opposition leader who died at the age of 84, is set to be buried at Nsele, in the outskirts of Kinshasa.

However, there has been a deadlock in the agreement birthed by political differences.Leaders of UDPS party have criticized President Joseph Kabila’s reluctance; they say he still considers Tshisekedi an opponent even though he is dead. This is refuted by the government, which in turn blames the biological family of the deceased for the delays.

It has been worsened by rivalry in the opposition party leadership which is now like a two-headed snake. One camp is headed by Felix Tshisekedi, son of the deceased while the other by Bruno Thsibala, the current Prime Minister of the DR Congo.